


Power of the Broken

by icoffeeyarncomics



Category: Beetlejuice (1988), Beetlejuice - All Media Types
Genre: Angel and Demon lore and mythos, Angst, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mind Manipulation, Psychological Horror, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, but not by Beetlejuice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:28:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 73,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22186360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icoffeeyarncomics/pseuds/icoffeeyarncomics
Summary: With Lydia's 18th birthday quickly approaching things seem to be pushing her to the brink, something has to push back or she will snap and fall into the void of insanity. Will the echos of her past come back to save her or will they be the final piece that pushes her over the edge with no hope of return.
Relationships: Beetlejuice/Lydia Deetz
Comments: 70
Kudos: 119





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> Dipping my toes slowly back into the world of writing fanfiction. Its been almost 16 years since i last posted anything.  
> New Chapters will be posted regularly unless stated otherwise.  
> Hope you all enjoy.

Lydia drew in a shuddering breath, her body trembling as she tried to hold it together. This wasn’t real, this wasn’t happening. After everything that she had been through in her 17 almost 18 years of life… this was not what she had ever imagined would happen. She had thought her nightmares were over.

She could feel the cold steel of the handcuffs biting into her wrists, she rubbed them hard just to feel the pain lancing through her, trying to snap her out of this nightmare. But it only served to bring her back to reality.

It was real.

This was happening and she was powerless to stop it.

She could feel the hands on her upper arms, pulling her toward a car. One that would take her to a hospital. One that she was never going to be able to walk back out of.

She turned looking at the porch of the house, seeing Delia standing there with a satisfied smirk on her face. Her father nowhere in sight. The bile rose in her throat. This was all her doing. She fought to keep on her own two feet as she was literally drug away from her home. 

She could hear the snickering and comments from the attendants standing around waiting for her to be transported.

“Ain’t she the crazy one from a couple years back”

“Bitch is finally getting what she deserves”

“Crazy must run in the family, look at what they say her mother did all those years ago.”

Lydia’s throat was tight as she fought through the tears that were threatening to fall, she couldn’t give them the satisfaction to think that they had won. She had long been the butt of people’s jokes and harassment.

It felt like an eternity before they arrived at a stark grey building, small windows filling up floor after floor. Her heart was in her throat as she tried to keep from showing how much this was scaring her.

How had it come to this?

First the Maitland’s had left, not wanting to spend their afterlife in a house that was becoming more and more hostile, she had felt abandoned all over again.

Her father had started drinking, ignoring her to the point where Lydia had started to feel like a ghost herself in her own home.

Then came Delia… it had started off with small things, not including Lydia in ‘family’ things, forgetting to tell her that meals were ready, forgetting to tell her that they had made plans and left without telling her. Her art and sculptures taking over the entire house, pushing her to the being holed up in her own room, the only space she had anymore that was just hers. Then Delia had managed to get pregnant and once the baby had been born… things went down hill fast.

She’d never been allowed in the same room as her baby half-sister, let alone having even touched the baby. She’d been told that the baby was… delicate and too sensitive to her subjected to such low class. 

It had hurt at first, but she found that with her father’s drinking and Delia’s attention being solely on the new baby her new found freedom had left her with a peace she’d never had before.

And then all that came crumbling down

She’d come home to her father having a shouting match with someone in his study. She’d crept through the darkened hallway to listen. What came next had shattered her very being.

“What do you mean she’s not mine!" her father had roared. She’d immediately thought that meant that the new baby with Delia wasn’t his… had her stepmother cheated?! The next words that she heard changed it all.

“Who is Lydia’s father then!” She hadn’t been able to hear the reply.

She had frozen there in the hallway, not able to get away when the door flung open and a man in a suit stepped out leaving her face to face with her father… the man she had thought was her father. Her eyes had locked with his and she could see something on his face she’d never seen before. 

Disgust.

She did the only thing that she could think to do… she ran. 

It took her three days to finally go home and when she did, her father was no where to be seen and Delia had smiled viciously at her. She knew then that her life would never be the same… she had just never imagined it would have led to this.

Lydia was brought out of her memories when she was yanked up out of the car and led through various locked and guarded doors. It felt like a prison. But she knew it wasn’t… it was worse.

It was Winter River Psychiatric Hospital.

* * *

Time was something he wasn’t sure of anymore… had it been days, weeks or fucking years? He had no way to tell. Not since he’d been sent back to god forsaken grave… again. Betelgeuse figured he should be grateful for that at least. Instead of being exorcised out of existence, which is what the higher ups kept wanting and threatening to do.

But something was strange… with him, with his exile. He still had access to his powers and every once in a while, when he stored up enough juice, he could slip out and back into the Netherworld or the mortal world. The strange thing was that when he managed to get out, no one could see him. Not the living and not the dead either. He was truly invisible.

It had been a lot of fun to start off with, he was able to get in and out of places that he’d never been able to. But there wasn’t a lot that he could do other than that. It took a lot of effort for him to manipulate anything in either world leaving him exhausted to the point he’d close his eyes and when he’d open them again, he’d be back in his grave.

The one place he couldn’t go, the one person that he couldn’t get to was Lydia Deetz.

How rude of the powers that be not to let him check in on his darling wife. And his wife she was, regardless of whatever crock of rat shit that old withered bitch Juno had spun up and sold to them about dear old Bab’s having stopped the ceremony in time… He could still feel that connection, that bond that had clicked into place between the two of them.

He had had all the time in the world to think back over all the events that had taken place during that time. He wished could have went back and kicked himself for his stupidity. There were so many other ways he would have been able to get what he wanted. But he had to let his impatience win out over rationality.

Now he was paying for it.

For now though, his mind was going over things that he had heard whispers of when he’d been stalking the offices.

Something or Someone was coming.

The Higher ups were restless and trying to stop something from happening. He just wasn’t sure what it was.

Whatever it was… felt important. He could feel a tug in his chest, and he knew that somehow it would involve him.

He’d bide his time, he just needed to save his power just for a bit longer then he’d be out to search for more answers.

* * *

Lydia had no idea how long she had been in the office, waiting. She still was in handcuffs, the two attendants still on either side of her making sure she stayed in the chair. Her mind was still trying to wrap around what had happened.

What would happen to her now. She could feel the tightness in her throat from the tears threatening to fall. But she refused to give anyone the knowledge that she was scared. That was a lesson she had been hard taught years before.

Hearing the door to the office open she shifted her gaze to the man walking in. He was average height and weight, nothing stood out about him till he caught her eyes. Never in her life had she had an instant reaction to someone like she did right then. Her stomach sank and she felt real fear. Something was so wrong here. His voice instantly set her on edge setting every instinct in her to run and hide.

She watched as he flipped open a file on his desk and then looked directly at her. She shifted slightly in her seat.

“Lydia _Enheduanna_ Deetz, January 11th, 1976… a month shy of your 18th birthday it seems.”

Lydia’s mouth was dry as she watched this… doctor in front of her. The way that he spoke her middle name had chills going up her spine.

“ _Enheduanna_ …. Such an interesting name." he said. “Sumerian for High Priestess” his eyes glittered in a way that instantly held her paralyzed. 

“Now let’s see here, our reports are indicating that you have repeated hallucinations of people that have died stating that you believe that you can speak to the dead, delusions of events that happened in the past, suicidal thoughts and actions, a history of school issues of you bullying your classmates threatening them in a manner that is disturbing and very graphic according to your records from school and a history of running away, this last time for three days.” 

Every word that slipped from this man’s lips had Lydia wishing that she could defend herself., but something stopped her, something in her was screaming to keep quiet. Not to give this man a syllable to use against her.

“It wasn’t till your parents Charles and Delia Deetz said they witnessed you trying to smother your 10 month old sister that they felt that you are a danger to yourself and others around you and instead of turning you over to the police wish for you to get the help you need.” He closed the file and looked at her again. “We will do our best to help you Lydia… to help you work through your issues and get to the root of your mental illness and start a treatment plan.” His voice was oily making her skin crawl.

The doctor nodded at the two attendants and she felt the handcuffs finally undone. “We will get you settled in your new room and a nurse will be in to help you get settled. You will have strict routine starting the moment you are in your new accommodations. This is the best way to start treating you.” He said his voice placating in a manner that had her wanting to lash out. But she kept quiet trying to process everything that he had said. Any hope that her father would come to his senses and get her out of there died when he had said that her parents, both parents had witnessed her doing something to her sister… her stomach rolled. She’d only ever seen the baby from a distance. Never once being close enough to even see what the baby looked like let alone do what they said she had done. The tears were burning the back of her throat and she desperately wanted to wake up from this nightmare. 

She felt herself being lifted from the chair and led out the doors of the office and down a maze of dimly lit gray hallways till they came to a stand in front of a room with the numbers 333 on it. Something shifted in her mind at seeing the numbers, wanting to scream out that, that was important but before she could make that connection someone cleared their throat and she looked up. A nurse stood there her arms holding more gray clothing and Lydia realized that she wasn’t going to get to wear her own clothes anymore.

The next half an hour was a blur for Lydia. She was stripped and dressed like a rag doll; every bit of her identity taken away as the nurse in a monotone bored voice started going over the rules for her. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, scheduled strictly. No one was allowed to skip meals; medications were to be given out before each meal and were to be taken while supervised. Once the doctor had her sessions scheduled, she would be taken to them. She would only be alone in her room. The door would always be locked from the outside until she was being led out for mealtimes or for her therapy sessions.

It wasn’t till the loud echo of the door shutting and locking behind her that Lydia slowly started to come out of her numbness. She looked around her breath coming in short gasps. A metal framed bed that was bolted to the floor, one pillow and a sheet. Everything the same color gray. One room. A bed. A sink that was nothing more than a stainless-steel bowl attached to the wall… a mirror and a toilet. She looked down at herself. A baggy set of scrubs, gray shirt, no bra, a pair of elastic waistband pants. At least she could keep her own underwear on. She saw laying on the bed a pair of socks and there were a pair of plastic looking slide on shoes under the end of the bed. There wasn’t a window.

She was in a cell.

Slowly Lydia walked her way over to the bed and moved up on it till she was sitting in the corner, her back pressed into the corner of the walls, the cold brick seeping through the thin material of her shirt. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them her head dropped down and the tears finally came.

Lydia never noticed the shadow move away from her door where the doctor had stood watching her.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since she’d been brought to the hospital against her will, two weeks since she’d seen daylight, two weeks since she’d spoken a word.

Lydia stared blankly at the wall trying hard not to listen to what the doctor was saying, this was supposed to be her daily therapy session, but it was not like any therapy she’d been to before.  
The man still set off her need to run and hide. There was something about him that wasn’t right. Her mouth was dry as she tried to read the spines of the bookshelf behind the doctor… anything to keep her mind off of what he was saying.

  
Today’s sessions had started off with the; “I think that we need to adjust your medication again, you don’t seem to be responding to it just yet.”

  
Lydia didn’t know how he could tell that she wasn’t responding to them, everything seemed to be muted and she was numb. She wished that she could just think straight… everything was blurring together.

  
“Now that is out of the way I want to start today’s session with talking about what happened to your mother.”

  
Lydia bit back a sharp breath that threatened to escape as a gasp. She closed her eyes not wanting to think about it. She’d buried all of that away. It didn’t stop the doctor from continuing to speak.

  
“From what your father has said it seems that you feel that you are responsible for what had happened.”

  
She was trying hard not to think about it, but there was something in the man’s voice that started to send her tumbling into her memories, her mind holding no resistance with the drugs coursing through her veins.

  
“You were seven years old. Your father had left for work and it was just you and your mother.”  
Lydia tried to block out his voice, she pulled her hands up to her ears to block it out when she felt the two attendants that were always in the room pull her hands down and fasten them to the arms of the chair.

  
“Someone came to door of your house that you didn’t know, you opened the door for him did you not?”

  
Lydia heard the question and frowned, that wasn’t right. Her mother had committed suicide, had taken too many pills and overdosed. Supposedly after an argument with her father before he had left for work. She’d been home, but asleep… an unnatural force started pressing against her mind and she started to slip into her subconsciousness, back to the day her mother had died, memories long suppressed finally erasing the manipulated ones, now coming to the forefront of her mind for the first time in 10 years.

  
_Lydia was sitting on the floor of the sitting room playing with a doll and tea set when she heard someone knock on the door. Her mother was in the kitchen making them lunch, so she stood up slowly and walked toward the door. She was too short to look out the half crescent window at the top of the door, so she slowly turned the lock hearing the click of it unlocking. The knocking stopped abruptly, and she felt herself turning the knob of the door slowly till it released and the door creaked open._

_The first thing that Lydia saw was black shiny shoes, not a speck of dirt on them. She looked up and saw it was a very tall man with long black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. She tipped her head to the side looking up at him, wondering if she had ever seen him before. His face was sharp and tense as he looked down at her, a wave of danger slammed into her and she felt an erupting bubble of fear blooming in her chest. Before she could do anything, the man swooped into her space and wrapped his hand around her mouth to keep her from screaming._  
_She could feel herself being picked up and the door kicked shut. He carried her toward the kitchen where her mother was. Her eyes were filled with tears as she fought to get out of grip on her. He was too strong for her._

_  
Lydia watched helplessly as her mother turned around and saw this strange man holding her with his hand over her mouth and could see the anger and fear wash over her face._

_  
“Azrael, put her down, she’s done nothing.” Lydia heard her mother beg._

_  
The man laughed; Lydia had been able to feel the vibrations of his laughter through her whole body. The hair on the back of her neck rose up. It was an unnatural laugh._

_  
“You know what I am here for, and it’s not this child. You betrayed Samael, married that mortal man, the proof is right here, I won’t take her…” He whispered, his voice low and had something in it that made Lydia stop moving all together, her heart pounding out of her chest. “Not yet at least.” He smirked and looked down at Lydia. “You are to remain quiet.” He said and as he removed his hand from her mouth_

_Lydia tried to scream but nothing came out.  
He had stolen her voice!_

_  
“Azrael!” her mother had screamed at the man, she scrambled away from him the second that he dropped her to the floor. She tried to get to her mother, but something stopped her from crossing some invisible line that separated the two of them. All she could hear was her mother pleading with this man to not hurt her. Begging him and pleading with him that she hadn’t done anything wrong._

_  
She watched helplessly, her voice taken from her as her mother was forced to her knees, the man’s hand gripping her chin as she was forced to look up at him, his other hand moving to her forehead._

_  
Lydia screamed silently, the tears streaming down her face as she beat against an invisible barrier to try and get to her mother. It was mere seconds after the man had put his hand on her mother’s head that she was blown backwards, some sort of wave of blackness that erupted from her mother as she screamed pushed through and broke the barrier._

_  
Huddling against the wall she watched helplessly as her mother slumped forward to the ground. Lydia knew that her mother was dead._

_  
Her eyes were instantly on the man walking toward her, he made no noise as he made his way over to her crouching down to her level. She wrapped her arms around her knees as she tried to curl herself into a smaller ball to get away from him. She felt him touch her head and the sound of her own voice echoed in her head as her voice came back._

_  
“Be glad that it was I that came and not another.” He said his voice void of all emotions and disappeared in the blink of an eye leaving a blistering silence that threatened to overtake her. She looked over at her mother’s body and screamed._

Lydia kept screaming as she was brought out of her mind by the feel of a prick of a needle in her arm. She could feel the burn and heat of the sedative that was pushed through the needle into her body, her head lulled back in the chair as it started to hit her, her screaming stopped. She could feel the tears still wet on her cheeks, her brain refusing to acknowledge what she had just remembered.

Lydia could hear the doctor walking toward her just as her eyes slipped closed. She could still hear him as he started to speak, she fought through the drugs addling her mind to hear what he was saying.

  
“Things are going to plan, return her to her room. Up the meds, it won’t be long now I believe.”

  
Darkness took her just as she felt the buckles on the straps around her wrists loosen and she was picked up to be carried back to her room.

* * *

Betelgeuse had been flicking pieces of paper across his room when he felt it. That sliver of a bond that connected him to Lydia sizzled to life sending a wave of pure terror anguish and pain through him.

  
Terror that wasn’t his.

  
Anguish and Pain that he hadn’t caused.

  
He sat up slowly closing his eyes he tried to follow the connection, but there was something there stopping it. Maybe he was just too far away, or she was blocking it.

  
Frustrated he stood up stomping as he paced back and forth in the small room, his own hell. He muttered under his breath. “What the fuck is the point of all this, what is going on that I can’t get to her.” He was angry and still had no answers to anything that had happened. He stopped pacing and an idea was slowly starting to form.

  
He wasn’t finding anything out by stalking the Netherworld… maybe he needed to make a trip topside. All the way to the top that is… not the mortal world.

  
See what the schmucks were doing on the light side, he wasn’t getting any answers from the Netherworld.

  
He just hoped that his new invisibility trick continued to hold out and he wasn’t caught.

  
Closing his eyes Betelgeuse drew in all the power that he had been conserving, concentrating where he wanted to go and snapped his fingers. He felt like he was getting sucked through a vacuum and was spat out suddenly in a cold sterile hallway. Looking to his left and then his right he could see that the hallway extended either way with no end in sight either way. He tried to think of about what he knew of this place. It had been hundreds of years since he’d had to think of the way that they had their offices.

  
Levels… planets… doorways to each. “Fucking lily-white pansy bastards thinking they have to be organized.” He muttered to himself. He could see a door to his right and started for it to see what the placard said.

  
_1- Moon_

  
Betelgeuse shook his head rubbing the back of his neck. He needed to find where the ‘office workers’ were… something about stars. He groaned and started walking the other way. He didn’t need to go to the different levels where the assholes were at. That would be a one-way ticket to the lost souls room for sure.

  
He saw that there was another door coming up and hoped that this would be it.

  
_Fixed Stars- Office of the 7_

  
“Bingo… let’s see what’s going on now that has everyone up in arms.” He whispered to himself and slowly pushed himself through the door thankful that he still was incorporeal. He was taken back by the chaos that was going on around him.

  
Not so organized after all.

  
He could hear bits and pieces of questions being thrown around. The same thing coming back to his ear repeatedly as he walked along the outer wall taking it all in.

  
“They sent Daniel.”

  
“Daniel is taking care of it”

  
“Daniel says he has it under control”

  
Betelgeuse frowned and knew that the only Daniel they could be talking about was one of the archangels in charge of all the creepy bastard watchers.

  
This was getting more and more interesting, why oh why had Daniel been sent and where had he been sent. Last he knew he was a lackey of that bastard Samael.

  
Good for nothing archangels.

  
He wandered toward the stack of folders sitting on the floor next to an overflowing desk where the worker was sitting desperately going through a folder in front of them.  
That was till something caught his eye and he stopped cold in his tracks.

  
One of the folders next to the workers hand had a label that read

  
_Winter River_

  
Now _that_ could not be a coincidence.

  
He tried to get closer to see what was in the folder, it was shut just as he got a glimpse of something that made his nonexistent heart stop.

  
**Lydia E. Deetz(?) - Patient 1901- Rm 333…**


	3. Chapter 3

Betelgeuse left as quickly as he could, waiting till he managed to get out into the hallway before he snapped his fingers again. 

He found himself instantly back in room his hands in his hair as he paced back and forth furiously. “What the fuck have you gotten yourself into babes.” He whispered and could feel that stupid bond of theirs. It was there like a god damn puppet string, but still not strong enough to pull him where he needed to be.  
  
“What am I missing.” He growled out frustrated and slammed his hand down on the wooden desk, his fingers digging into the wood as he closed his eyes trying to force himself down the bond line to find Lydia. 

It was a silver line covered in black. 

He wanted to reach out and touch it but he knew instinctively not to. He just had to follow it. He looked up to see where it was leading and couldn’t see through the inky darkness. 

It was a darkness that had a feeling of foreboding that radiated from it. Something he’d never felt before. 

He studied it for a few moments and realized that someone was manipulating it… dulling it. The silver was the true color trying to shine through the black as it tried to smother it. 

It was in that instance that Betelgeuse knew that he didn’t have a lot of time. He was afraid of what would happen if the entire bond went black. 

Opening his eyes slowly as he pulled out of his mind, he looked around his room and focused on what he needed to do. 

He needed to find Lydia, get her away from whatever the hell was keeping her. 

But first, he needed someone in their corner that would help. Someone that wouldn’t have any issues going against the Arches. He had a horrible feeling that this was all their doing… and he knew that when he found out what they had planned for his Lyds… it wasn’t going to end well for anyone involved. So for now, he was going to have to get help and for that he was going to need something of value, favors weren’t cheap for the when it came to getting help from the Guides, fickle that they were. 

He walked toward the corner of his small room and kicked open a trunk. Three weapons laid there that he had liberated one way or another over the last six hundred years. He thought about the two Guides he was about to barter with and picked up the mace. He could feel the power in the enchantment in it and smiled slowly. “Oh yeah, that’ll do it.” 

He drew in a breath and disappeared. 

* * *

Lydia jerked awake, a scream on the tip of her tongue as she fought to shake away the nightmare that had left her in a pool of sweat. She tried to take in a slow breath, her body trembling as she fought the tears that were threatening to fall again. 

She’d been in her room now for the last five hours and all she’d done was break down and try and rationalize what had happened. Nothing made sense anymore. Was she really remembering that her mother had been killed but some supernatural force or was this another trick to make her think that she was going crazy? 

Lydia let out a whimpering moan as she tried to roll back toward the wall giving herself some sort of semblance of safety. Since her episode during her therapy session her head was clearer than it had been since they had started to drug her up. 

She ran her fingers over the edge of her thumbnails to keep her mind focused on the here and now. She went over every session she’d had with her doctor, every time a pill was pushed in her direction. She kept her breathing slow and steady as she started sorting through her thoughts and memories. Letting herself get out of control only resulted her in her being sedated… and that was the absolute last thing that she needed. 

She had started off simple, remembering the doctor talking to her about what he thought her underlying issues were, why her coping mechanisms were spinning out of control, and finally the last session.  
  
She swallowed hard. Now that she could remember that day, the smaller details that she had forgotten were starting to filter through. The strange man’s name… Azrael… she knew that name to be an archangel. Something that her mother had her learn all those years ago when it was just the two of them. She had taught her many things that Lydia had been told were just between the two of them, never to be spoken about to anyone even her father. 

But now… she knew that the man that she had grown up thinking was her father wasn’t her father at all. 

What had Azrael said to her mother? That she was the proof that she had betrayed someone… Sam… something. Her mind still coated in fuzziness. 

Who was her father? Had her mother known? 

She bit back the tears that were burning her eyes as she thought about it. Why had her doctor wanted her to remember that? 

The more pressing question was, how did he know what had happened. No one outside of the three people in the house had known what had occurred. She couldn’t let on that she had remembered. She would continue the ruse that her mother had committed suicide, that she blamed herself for falling asleep and not being there for her.

She could feel a wash of determined stubbornness. She refused to let them beat her down. There was something bigger at play, and she would be damned to roll over and let them win.

Lydia did something she hadn’t done in almost ten years. She closed her eyes and slowly concentrated on her breaths, slowly breathing in and out counting as she started the long process of meditating. She remembered her mother telling her that this was the only way that she could feel the truth of who she was. At the time she had laughed and thought it was silly… now… now she wasn’t so sure. 

It took a long time before Lydia could feel herself gently slipping into her subconscious. 

She found herself standing in the darkness, in front of her a mirror covered with a sheet. 

This was important. She could feel it. But what was it? 

She heard a breath of a whisper… “Three times.” It was so soft she was afraid she had imagined it. 

Slowly she walked around it her fingertips grazing over the dusty white sheet. Stopping back in front of the mirror she reached for the sheet and in one swift yank, pulled it down uncovering the ornate embellished Gothic mirror. 

When she peered into the it, there was no reflection… only shadows. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped closer to it reaching out and touch it. 

It shocked her with how ice cold it was; she jerked her hand back rubbing her fingertips in her other hand to get rid of the coldness that seemed to seep into her skin. 

It was then that she felt it, she wasn’t alone in her own mind. She closed her eyes her breaths coming in slow sharp gasps as the darkness of the room seemed to start to creep in closer around her. The danger was starting to overwhelm her... it was the same feeling she had when she was with her doctor. 

Panic and terror filled Lydia and she knew she had to get out of there, or she would be stuck there. 

She turned away from the mirror staring into the darkness and dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands hard enough to break skin, the pain ripping her out of her meditative state just as the door to her room slammed open. 

Lydia scrambled into the corner of her bed not realizing that she was bleeding, smearing blood over the sheets and the wall. 

The orderlies rushed in pulling her out of the bed and onto a stretcher where she was immediately strapped down. Orders being yelled to stop the bleeding and get her sedated. 

  
Lydia shook her head screaming out loud for the first time in weeks, her voice rough and hoarse. “NOOOO!” she fought hard to get up, get away from them. The straps held her down rubbing her arms raw as she panicked and started to hyperventilate. She couldn’t breathe. Everything was spinning around her, too many hands on her… pushing and pulling her in every direction till she snapped. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she passed out, succumbing to the blissful arms of darkness. 

  


* * *

  
Daniel stood there in the doorway watching as the orderlies and nurses fought to control the tiny slip of a girl strapped to the stretcher. He was impressed by her strength. 

He tipped his head to the side watching as her blood dripped from her hands onto the floor and drew in a deep breath. His eyes narrowed as he stepped in closer. 

She didn’t smell right. 

She smelled human enough… but there was something more there. A power simmering just under the surface. But something was keeping him from pinpointing what it was. 

That… was too bad. 

He had his orders. 

The girl was to die by her own hand before her 18th birthday. 

He had less than two weeks to get her pushed to the edge and watch her fall. 

  


* * *

  
The second that Betelgeuse appeared in the Netherworld he could see that things had changed since he’d been there last… at least in this part of the Netherworld. He walked slowly toward an outcropping of black rock and willed everything in him to be seen. He hadn’t done this yet and he hoped that it worked. If not… he’d be fucked, and it would be back to square one. 

Something he didn’t have time for… and time he knew deep down that Lydia didn’t have either.   
He stopped suddenly when he felt something heavy resting on his shoulder. 

“Halt! Who dares come into this land with out passing through the great gates!” a deep rumbling voice shook through him. 

He turned slowly making sure to keep the hammer on his shoulder where it was at and not swinging at his head.

  
“Charun! Old Buddy… pal!” he said as a wash of relief hit him realizing that the demon could see him. “It’s been ages!” 

  
Charun narrowed his eyes at the trespasser. “State your name trespasser and I may allow you to keep your head attached to your shoulders.” 

  
Betelgeuse wiggled his eyebrows at the demon. “Has it been so long you don’t remember your best pal Betel?” he feigned a pout just as a female voice broke through the darkness. 

  
“How are you here, the last anyone had heard you were stripped of your powers and sent to exile.” 

  
Betelgeuse looked over Charun’s shoulder seeing the figure of a woman wearing a pleated skirt and hunting boots… from a millennia ago. A ring of keys fastened to her belt. Vanth, winged demoness of the dead. 

  
“Looking good as always Vanny… and the rumors of my… exile are greatly exaggerated.” He slipped out from under the hammer and rocked back on his heels looking at the demons in front of him. Two of the most important Guides in the underworld. Probably the only two that wouldn’t out him to the higher ups. There was no lost love with them.

  
Vanth arched her eyebrows at Betelgeuse and crossed her arms over her chest knowing that this wasn’t just a friendly visit. “Spit it out, you need something. What do you have to barter with?” 

  
Betelgeuse let his smile slip into a smirk and he snapped, the mace he had picked up from his trunk. “I have here the one and only Mace of Sharur.” He said holding it out knowing that Vanth could feel the power from it. 

  
Vanth’s eyes widened in shock. “I don’t even want to know how you got that.” She muttered and reached out taking the weapon into her hand. She could feel the power, the sentience the mace had. It was more than she had ever expected Betelgeuse to produce. Slowly she looked back up at him. “This… this is a lot and makes me think that this isn’t some little request.” 

  
Betelgeuse swallowed and nodded. “It’s not… I need help, I’m going against the Arches… they have information about someone, someone I am bonded to.” He said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “What the higher ups did to me… they blocked the bond; I can’t get to her.” He shook his head. “She’s in danger and I can’t find her.” He said letting the worry slip out into his voice. 

  
Vanth handed the mace to Charun. “Follow me.” She said and headed back toward her office. She stepped in and held the door open for Betelgeuse to come in. Going over to her desk she sat down and reached for her book of names. “Alright, what’s the name of this demon… let’s see what I have on them and what we can do.” She said looking up at Betelgeuse. 

  
Betelgeuse shifted in his seat looking at Vanth with a guilty look on his face. “See… that’s the thing there Vanny…” He said and swallowed uncomfortably.

  
“She’s human… and not… dead.”

  
Vanth dropped the book on the desk in shock. “Oh Betel…. You better be fucking kidding me.” She stood up and went to her bookshelf pulling down books looking for a certain one dropping all the ones that wasn’t the one she was looking for. 

  
Betelgeuse rubbed the back of his neck. “Nope. Name’s Lydia Deetz.” 

  
Vanth stopped when she finally found the book she was looking for. She dropped it on the top of her desk and looked over at Betelgeuse. “You said you have a bond with her, and that its blocked?” she tapped the top of the book and looked at him. “How in Hade’s name do you have a bond with a living woman!?”

  
Betelgeuse let out a forced chuckled. “See… that’s the funny thing, right? I… I mean her and I… we started to get married, said the whole I do’s and all that in front of a minister. And we were interrupted, I got eaten by a fucking sandworm and that was the last time I saw her…” he had stood up and started to pace. 

  
“Got punished by the higher ups for that, you know, forbidden to see her, they put a ban on her home and whammied me back into my lovely accommodations.” He sighed running his hands through his hair making it stand up even worse than normal, showing just how much this was affecting him. 

  
“But the funny thing is…my powers, they’re changing… my juice is different. Have to conserve it so I can get myself places. I can make myself unseen to the dead and living and even the lily-whites!” he stopped and looked down at Vanth who had leaned back in her chair, her hands folded over her chest as she listened in rapt attention. 

  
“I can still feel the bond, it’s there and it’s pulling me to do something. She’s in danger and it has something to do with the Arches… they fucking sent Daniel down to ‘take care of it’ whatever the fucking shit that means.” He said through clenched teeth. 

  
Vanth frowned that wasn’t good. “Is there any way that you can find her in the mortal world… you know I can’t leave here, or I’d look for you.” She said softly the apology clear in her voice. 

  
Betelgeuse thought back to the folder he’d seen… his eyes narrowed. “Yeah, got some ideas.” He said knowing that she had to be in some sort of hospital. Winter River wasn’t that big. 

  
Vanth nodded and sighed. “Do that and come back and tell me what you’ve found out. I’ll see what I can find out from my contacts…. But if the Arches are involved, this is something that you might not be able to stop Betel… this might be her fate.” She said delicately. 

  
Betelgeuse growled as he stalked toward the door. He looked back over his shoulder looking at Vanth, the coldness and determination in his face was enough to stop anything else she was going to say. 

  
“You and I both know that fate is shit, if they hurt her Vanny… no force this side of the Netherworld to the fucking Empyrean will stop me from killing them all… that’s my promise.” He said and with a snap of his fingers disappeared. 

  
Vanth sighed and rubbed her fingers over the book on her desk.

  
_Lines and Lineages of the Lost Ones_

  
“I hope it doesn’t come to that B…” she whispered. 


	4. Chapter 4

  
Lydia wasn’t sure where she was when she came to, her body and mind still sluggish from the overuse of the sedatives they kept pushing into her. She tried to rub her eyes but couldn’t lift her arm, if she had been in a better state of mind that would have sent her in a panic attack. Instead she just let out a breath, all strength leaving her.

She was so tired of all of this. She just wanted it to end. How long could she keep doing this.

Turning her head to each side she could finally see why she couldn’t lift her hands. They were still strapped down. Thick white gauze and tape wrapped around each of her hands making it look like she had mittens on.

She frowned slowly, her thoughts and physical reactions felt so sluggish.

Had she done that to herself? She had remembered digging her fingernails into her hands, but it couldn’t have been that bad… right?

Lydia heard the door open and she wished she had kept her eyes closed when she saw that it was her doctor walking in with his two usual orderlies. She could feel her heart beating faster in her chest, the need to get away from him sending her almost into a panic attack even in her drugged-out state of mind.

Daniel looked down at the girl and moved to sit down next to the bed in the chair that had been brought over.

“I’m sure that you are feeling rather confused as to what happened.” He said his eyes locking with hers as he slowly started to push suggestions through to her mind. Suggestions of what had happened, what she wanted to do.

Lydia felt as if something thick and oily was trying to swallow her up as she looked in her doctor’s eyes. She couldn’t look away, she could see glimpses of her fighting an orderly, a flash of something silver. Blood pouring from her hands.

The singular thought looping through her mind that she was worthless, she wasn’t worth saving, she’d be better off dead.

She could feel it starting to consume her, wrap around her in a thick black coat. She closed her eyes ready to just give in, so tired of fighting it constantly when something happened, a wash of warmth surged through her sending the wave of darkness that was consuming her away in a flash of silver light.

She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid of what she would see in her doctor’s face… had he been able to tell that something was wrong with her? What had he been doing to her?

She could hear shuffling beside her and the doctor speaking lowly to his orderlies. “It won’t be long now… take her back to her room, make sure you leave the letter opener on the sink. I’ve already alerted security that it had been taken earlier in the week.”

Lydia feigned sleep as she felt the bed starting to move and she was taken back to her room. Did they just give her something to kill herself with? The thought of how set up this was had her terrified.

* * *

Daniel watched as the girl was taken out of the medical room and back to her own room. He walked to the window and pulled out his phone. With out dialing or hitting a single button he spoke into it, knowing that his message would be sent through to the correct department for the higher ups.

“It should be finished by the end of the night. She was exceedingly easy to manipulate mentally.”

* * *

It wasn’t till Lydia was sure that she was alone that she stopped pretending that she was asleep. Slipping out of her bed she moved carefully over to the sink seeing that there was a sharp letter opener laying behind the faucet.

Her stomach flipped horribly as her heart sank.

She remembered the feelings and thoughts that had invaded her mind earlier when she had been in the room with her doctor.

This wasn’t right, she wasn’t going to kill herself!

She was stronger than this. Stronger than whoever these people thought they were.

She moved over to her door and carefully looked out. She could see that the hallway lights were dim, and she knew that it had to be passed dinner time. She had time to get her mind straightened back out before morning. Before she had to deal with whatever was going on.

There was still bit of grogginess she was feeling from the sedatives as she slid down in front of her door, her back pressed against the cold metal. She’d be able to feel the vibrations of anyone walking down the hallway toward her giving her time to get back into her bed.

Looking down at her hands she shook her head. She knew that she hadn’t done what her mind had been telling her she had done to herself.

She closed her eyes breathing evenly as she centered herself.

She remembered that she’d been mediating, and in a flash she had felt something invading her mind. She had known then the only way to pull herself out of there and prevent whatever it was from knowing what she could do, was for her to incite a rush of adrenaline and endorphins through her body to snap her out of it.

She’d sank her fingernails into her palms.

It had worked. Maybe too well she mused as she looked down at her bandaged hands. She’d laugh at the absurdity of it all if she had the strength to.

She could still feel that oiliness in her head… like black tar trying to seep in and cover everything. She’d only ever felt like that one other time…

Lydia’s eyes widened as a wash of terror slammed into her.

The only other time she’d felt that same kind of taint influence her was when Azrael had taken her voice and when he had touched her mother’s forehead before she’d died.

It was only then that she really started to think about what she had remembered, about the memories that had been hidden from her.

Archangels? Was she really losing her mind enough to think that there was so much more to the realm of the supernatural than just ghosts?

If there were archangels… then what else was out there.

Ghosts, she knew. Her throat tightened at the thought of the Maitland’s.  
No! She refused to think about them, they had abandoned her when she needed them the most.

And now Archangels, did that mean that there were demons as well… the second that that thought floated through her mind she felt a stab of pain engulf her whole head, radiating down and through her chest.

A rouge thought filtering into her mind. “There are no such things as demons, they are made up stories to scare little children”

She gritted her teeth as she pushed past the pain lancing through her as she forced herself to think about what a Demon was. Flashes of black… and white stripes slammed into her, the tight band around her head and chest seemed to loosen slightly.

Lydia fought to keep ahold of that image. She knew it had to be important! What was it, what did it mean!

She felt like she was on a merry go round, her mind spinning as she tried to hold onto a single picture in her head. A voice floating soft through the air, whispering softly.

“ _Three times_.”

And then it was gone.

Lydia was panting as she leaned back against the cold metal door trying to get a grip on herself. What did it mean… three times? This was the second time she’d heard something telling her the same two words!

She was running out of time and she knew that whatever that meant… would be what saved her.

* * *

Betelgeuse was running low on energy when he managed to get back to his place. He collapsed on his bed and closed his eyes. He’d left the Netherworld and went straight to the mortal world to Winter River’s hospital.

He’d thought that maybe Lydia had been in some sort of accident, maybe was in a coma or something. That would explain the bond and how he couldn’t reach her through it.

So, he’d spent the better part of the day going through the files in the file room at the hospital not finding anything about Lydia… but he had found something of interest. Her bitch of a stepmother had spawned another breather. He almost felt bad for the kid.

He’d left empty handed but determined to figure out what was going on. His mind was spinning as he tried to think of other places that had ‘patients’.

Frowning he got up and started to pace.

His hand rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to think.

Dentist? No… they didn’t have rooms.

It had to be some sort of doctor, right? He didn’t know this shit. He had no use for it!

And then he felt it, something tugging relentlessly at the bond he had with Lydia.

Something was trying to severe it completely.

Desperation surged through him as he yelled out “NO!” his hands bracing on the wall in front of him as he delved deeply into his mind, panicking as he tried to find the bond.

It was there… barely, nearly completely covered in a thick blackness.

He did the one thing that he knew that he shouldn’t do… but he had to save her, save whatever it was that kept them together. He reached out and pushed all his energy that he could through the bond to fight off whatever was attacking it. He could feel the blackness slinking away and then in an explosion of light, silver filled his mind, throwing him physically to the ground in his room.

Betelgeuse groaned loudly, his head pounding with an intensity he’d not felt in hundreds of years! He tried to push the pain away. “Fucking rat shit.” He moaned as he rolled over on the floor and slowly crawled over to his bed collapsing on the dusty broken mattress.

“What are they doing to you Lyds, why can’t I get to you?”

He closed his eyes letting himself drift through his thoughts, trying to figure this puzzle out when it hit him.

His eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth through the still lingering pain.

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers summoning a telephone book for Winter River.

Levitating it in the air he flipped through the white pages looking for a specific type of hospital, if he was thinking on the right line he’d find it.

And there it was… the words on the page glowed as he sat up his furry starting to build.

**_Winter River Psychiatric Hospital, 546 Winding Tree Road, Winter River, Connecticut_**.

Betelgeuse growled as he lit the phone book on fire watching as the ash dropped to the ground. There would be hell to pay if this was all part of Juno and the Higher up’s plans to keep him under control. It was one thing to fuck with him… but to do this to someone that didn’t deserve it. Oh there would be hell to pay.

He was just about to say to hell with it all and pop himself to the hospital when an envelope snapped into existence, floating down into his hand.

He opened it up and frowned as he started to read.

_**B,** _   
_**I’ve found out some things since you left, you aren’t going to like it.** _   
_**You were right to think that the Arches are involved, it goes all the way to the top to Samael.** _   
_**Come see me as soon as you can, there is more to tell you, but I don’t dare put it to paper.** _   
_**-V** _

Betelgeuse shook his head. Fucking Samael. Of course, it would be that unmitigated bastard. He had heard so many rumors about Mr. I have too many names. Archangel of Death, the seducer, the destroyer.

He had no patience for the way that side worked.

Drawing in a slow breath Betelgeuse groaned as he tried to pull what energy he had to get back to the Netherworld to find out what Vanth had discovered.

With a tired shaky snap, Betelgeuse was gone once again.


	5. Chapter 5

Betelgeuse found himself back outside of Vanth’s door in the underworld, the exhaustion hitting him hard. He wasn’t doing himself any favors stretching his energy this thin. He knew that it was because he had pushed all it to Lydia earlier.

He just hoped that he had stopped whatever had been affecting their bond. He didn’t even want to think about what it had done to her. He started to wonder what she had felt on her end, but his thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt as he walked through the door and froze.

The utter chaos that surrounded him was impressive.

“Well shit Vanth, if you just needed me for cleaning house, I would have changed clothes.” He said trying to not let show how drained he was.

He ducked quickly, narrowly avoiding a book sailing through the air toward a very harried looking Vanth.

“Oh, you have no idea what you’ve managed to wrap yourself up in.” Vanth muttered and tossed the book to the floor after skimming quickly through it.

“But its you, so I’m not surprised really.” She sighed and looked over at him briefly.

“Only you Betel would manage this.” She shook her head turning back toward the bookshelf and pulling out another book.

Betelgeuse arched his eyebrows at the demoness and walked toward her dodging books and then leaned against the bookshelf. Crossing his arms over his chest he tried to pull off an air of nonchalance, “You going to tell me what it is that I’ve done that is causing you so much…" He trailed off waving his hand at the chaos around them.

Vanth slammed the book shut her eyes narrowing as she rounded on Betelgeuse. “You…” her voice dark and holding a growl to it that bellied how much this was getting to her, she poked her finger into his chest. “…Have managed to find the last of the Astarte line… and bonded yourself to her! Do you have any idea what you have done to yourself! What you have done to her!”

Betelgeuse nearly sank to the floor. “The Astarte line is a myth Vanth, don’t fuck with me, my Lyds is no necromancer.” He snarled, there was no way that Lydia was the from her line.

He would have known! He would have been able to feel that power in her… and he hadn’t.

Had he?

Vanth rounded on Betelgeuse again and slammed a book into his chest.

“Oh you know damn well that it’s as real as you and I are, Its just by luck that I found her name in the book of lost ones, her birthright came down from her mother’s side, always makes it harder to track lineage. Probably why Astarte did it that way.” she shook her head frustrated and worried for her friend.

“Now that the Arch’s know who she is… they want to make sure that she dies by her own hand before she turns 18 and her powers are unlocked.” 

Betelgeuse grimaced, he knew that if she were the one to be responsible for her own death then she would be bound by the underworlds rules and would be stuck with out her freedom for eternity.

“That’s why they sent Daniel… that fucking shit for brains is their best mental manipulator.” He could feel a coil of panic starting to set in the center of his chest. He looked down at the book that Vanth had shoved into his chest and could see the dark silver lettering mocking him.

_Astarte_

_Born of the Fallen and Mortal_

_Queen of the Spirits of the Dead_

“What’s this book going to do.” He doubted it would give him the answers that were racing through his mind.

Vanth snorted. “Its not for you, you fucking moron. Think of it as a birthday present to your little Necromancer bondmate. It will be easier for you to explain it to her with something more tangible.” She smirked.

“Be sure to bring her to meet me once you’ve found her.”

Betelgeuse put the book inside his jacket sliding it into one of the inner pockets. He knew what Vanth was saying between the lines. Until Lydia turned 18, there wasn’t going to be a safe place anywhere except maybe here in Vanth’s sanctum.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He said and with one last glance around the destroyed office he snapped his fingers and juiced himself back home.

Exhausted he dropped down on his bed and closed his eyes. “Just a few hours Lyds… just hold on for a few more hours and I’ll get you out.” He had to get his energy back up before he slipped into Daniel’s territory. He would have to pull out all the stops to keep himself from being found out. He’d do Lydia no good being banished.

With those thoughts he slipped into a restless regenerative sleep.

* * *

Daniel stood in his office looking out the window over the grounds seeing the reflection of the full moon on the small pond, waiting for his contact to show up. He glanced at the monitors that had been set up. The Deetz girl hadn’t moved from sitting in the corner of her room for the last three hours. He was happy to see that she had the letter opener in her hand at least.

She just needed to finish it. He knew that his suggestions were strong enough to push her over the edge. He knew that the hesitation now was most likely the residual grogginess from all the sedatives they’d been pushing into her. 

He felt a whisper of a draft and knew that he had company.  
  


“It has taken you long enough to get here.” He said not turning around.

“Is it finished?”

Daniel turned around to face the newcomer, he’d been expecting Azrael. “I wasn’t expecting you Gabriel.” He tilted his head to the side. “Has something happened?”

Gabriel walked toward the other Archangel. “There has been a bit of an issue that has been brought to our attention. You need to be aware that the Demon hasn’t been found as of yet. He’s not been in his usual places. His supposed exile has been too quiet. He’s been able to get out of them before.” He sneered. “but yet, he still remains hidden away. One would think that he truly lost his powers. But we know that he hasn’t.”

Daniel tipped his head to the side and nodded. “There is a bond between them, I’ve severed it as much as I could during our sessions, I have no doubt that he will try and find her. That would explain her non-human blood.” He thought out loud.

Gabriel’s face remained impassive. “She’s getting closer to her awakening… it’s to be expected.”

Daniel nodded his head in acquiescence.

“Azrael will be here to dispose of the body, send word as soon as it happens. It _can not_ fall into the wrong hands.” Gabriel said severely.

Daniel bowed slightly. “It will be done.” He said just as Gabriel disappeared.

* * *

Lydia was fighting the sleep that was threatening to overtake her, relying on the coldness of the floor and wall seeping into her skin through the thin hospital garb. Her hand still grasped the letter opener afraid that if she put it down, it would be used against her in some way.

There hadn’t been anyone coming to check on her for the night check. She wondered if this was intentional, she was afraid of what would happen come morning and they found her still alive.

Swallowing past the rising bile that threatened to come out she let herself zone out, retreating into memories. Her mother came to the forefront of her mind now so much easier, as if learning the truth of how she had died had released a block against them. She thought back to all the silly things that her mother used to tell her… although now. They weren’t all that silly. She remembered her mother telling her that she had a destiny that would move the heavens and the earth.

She didn’t want that destiny, she only wanted to get out of there and run. She’d go back to New York City, it would be easy to get lost there. Change everything about her… become someone new.

She had a sinking feeling though that she would be found no matter where she was at, what she looked like.

The tears had long since stopped falling as she felt the wash of desperation hit her. It reminded her of how she had felt when the doctor had tried to get her to think about killing herself. She wasn't stupid, as much as she wished that mind tricks and brainwashing wasn’t real… the fact that she could remember now that her mother had been killed by an archangel, and that it was obvious now that her doctor was one as well… she couldn’t trust any of her thoughts as her own.

The only thing that she was going to concentrate on, was surviving.

The one thing that they didn’t want her to do.

There was just one thing that kept nagging at her, in the back of her mind. The black and white stripes… the meaning of three times.

She knew, that she had more memories that had been blocked… taken from her. There was a whole two month period of her younger teenage years that she had no recollection of.

She let herself fall into her memories, pushing through the cobwebs and haze. She could feel her lips moving, whispering something. 

Raising her hand gently to her mouth she felt them moving, making the same sound over and over again.

Pushing herself harder to concentrate she could almost hear what she was saying. I was like trying to dial into an old radio station, just catching snip bits of a sound.

“Bee… Bee… Bee… “

Was it a word…. A sound… a letter… the questions continued to overwhelm her and she was no closer to remembering.

* * *

Vanth slumped down into her chair looking around at the mess of her office. She would have to prepare a room for when Betelgeuse brought the girl. She knew that she would be in bad shape mentally as well as physically.

They would have little time to help her prepare for what was to come.

“You seem to have rearranged since the last time I was here.” A male voice slid through the darkness.

Vanth looked up sharply holding her breath as she watched for voice to make itself know. She narrowed her eyes.

She knew that voice.

“Semyaza”

A tall figure stepped out of the shadows and moved to sit across from her, a wave of his hand and her office was back to the way it had been before she’d been tearing through it looking for information.

Vanth watched the way that he moved… the way that he spoke, it reminded her of someone. “What brings you to my side of the underworld… don’t you have your rebellion of Fallen to lead, unsuspecting mortal women to seduce?”

“I do… but felt that it was necessary to find out what you had discovered.” He asked picking up the book from her desk and flipping through it.

Vanth swallowed hard knowing that this could go two different ways. Betelgeuse would either be happy to have someone as powerful as the leader of the Fallen or be pissed off beyond that he had another faction against him and his bondmate.

“I guess it depends on the reason you ask for the information.” She said steeling herself for the wrath that would be brought down on her if this was to go badly.

Semyaza chuckled lightly. “Be at ease Vanth, I hold no ill will for the child of Astarte, after all... it would do no good for me to want to kill my son’s bondmate.” He said and sat back.

“Does he know?” Vanth snapped out, suddenly overwhelmed with anger toward the Fallen Angel across from her.

“Does he know that his father is a Fallen!?” she stood up and started to pace. The ramifications of everything started to pile up. There were too many things that were starting to fall into place… her eyes narrowed not liking where it was going.

Semyaza shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. He was never to know… but things are happening that are changing the way the rules are… he will know in time, just not as of yet. And you are not to tell him till he gets his bondmate here to safety. I will make sure that they are not able to be found once they are here in your realm.” He stood up. “I will tell him once things are settled Vanth, I can’t risk him losing focus on what he has to do.”

He waved his hand and a stack of books appeared on her desk. “These will help her harness her powers after her awakening.” He said softly knowing it was a poor gesture for what he was asking her to do.

“I will return when they arrive.” He said and then with a wave of his hand he sank back into the darkness of the shadows and disappeared.

Vanth rubbed her hand over her face suddenly overwhelmed but everything. Things were changing… and fast.

She had a room to prepare.


	6. Chapter 6

Lydia knew that her time was up. She rocked back and forth her hand trembling as it gripped the letter opener. There was no one coming to help her, no one wanted her.

Everything seemed to be caving in around her. She couldn’t focus. Her mind was a murky haze.

She’d made a mistake.

She’d fallen asleep only to be woken up abruptly with horrific thoughts circling in her head.

_Do it._

_No one will miss you._

_You aren’t worthy._

_It will stop all the pain._

_You can never be what everyone wants you to be._

If she hadn’t been so consumed by the despair that was devouring her, she would have noticed her doctor standing just outside her door.

* * *

It took a few moments for Betelgeuse to completely become aware of himself and where he was at, he was in his home, in his bed and had finally managed to get enough rest that he wasn’t feeling as if he was drained of all his energy. 

There was a constant itch in the back of his mind however, the bond between him and Lydia was tugging tightly urging him to get moving.

He focused all his thoughts to what he needed to do. 

He was going into the lion’s den and taking back his Lydia.

Betelgeuse stood slowly his hands waving down over his clothes replacing them with his signature black and white stripes. He cracked his fingers and slowly rolled his shoulders releasing the tension that had been building.

With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared.

* * *

Azrael stepped up next to Daniel looking through the window of the door to the young woman in the last throws of desperation.

“She looks remarkably like her mother.”

Daniel looked at the other Archangel. “Not nearly as resilient though, Emily had been able to ensnare Samael after all.”

Azrael tipped his head to the side and watched for a brief moment before he turned and began walking toward Daniel’s office. “I’d rather not feel the backlash of her energy as her soul is ripped from her body.” He said simply.

Daniel nodded in agreement. “We will be able to see from the monitors when its over.” 

* * *

Betelgeuse appeared in the shadows beside a large oak tree, the darkness of night on his side. He closed his eyes focusing himself on becoming invisible. Slowly he walked toward the building hating how it radiated sorrow, despair, and sadness.

His Lydia was in there.

It tore at something deep with in him, something he had thought he had lost years before.

Gritting his teeth and tempering his anger he slipped silently and unnoticed into the building. He could feel the taint of the Archangels almost instantly, their filth making it nearly unbearable to tolerate. Thick and oily, it permeated everything around them.

He would never understand how they were the ones that had gotten the good rep. They were the ones that were offing the humans just to entertain themselves.

He carefully moved through the hallways, keeping to the shadows, away from where the video cameras would spot him, had he been visible. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that there wasn’t anything there to keep him from getting to Lydia.

But he would damn well do whatever it took to get her out.

Even if he had to slaughter every fucking archangel in the building and paint the walls with their blood to do it.

The simmering rage was just there under his skin, aching to be released. His powers wanting to stretch and grow.

He started to pass a door and stopped feeling something wash across his skin. He glanced in the door and saw someone he absolutely did not want to see.

Azrael was standing there with Daniel.

Had it just been Daniel, he’d have had no issue dealing with the bastard, but now he would have to deal with Azrael as well.

The sense of urgency to get to Lydia slammed into him. He refused to believe that he was too late. He could see that they both were staring at something, some sort of video screen.

A monitor.

Those bastards were watching Lydia, as if she was some sort of entertainment.

He didn’t have time to run through the maze of hallways trying to find her, he had to find her now. Sinking into the shadows he closed his eyes and reached out for his bond to Lydia. “Come on babes, show me where you are.” He whispered to himself.

Betelgeuse opened his eyes feeling the urgency to get to Lydia amp up from the way their bond felt. He let it lead him through the hallways to where she was at.

* * *

Azrael smiled slowly turning his head toward the door. “He’s here.”

The two of them faded out of the room and reappeared in front of the girl’s door waiting for the Demon to show himself.

* * *

Betelgeuse knew that he had found her. But it was also a trap.

Azrael and Daniel stood there outside her door keeping him from getting to her.

He stood there in the shadows waiting to see what their move would be. He figured the sensations he’d felt earlier had been their little early warning system for him.

Why not give them what they were wanting? 

Snapping his fingers, he let a low drawling whisper slip out as he stepped out of the shadows into the Archangel’s line of sight.

“It’s Showtime.”

He lunged and threw two balls of pure energy at them making them both leap out of the way, Daniel disappearing completely.

Chickenshit.

He felt his fingers close around the door handle of Lydia’s room and yanked it open just as he was pulled back and slammed into the ground, a flaming sword pressing against his neck.

The heat of the holy fire licking at his skin.

“Gotta do better than that Azzie.” He growled out his eyes glowing with rage as he snapped his fingers, the sword turning into a snake that turned and lunged at Azrael.

With another wave of his hands the rage consuming him as he banished the Archangel as far as he could. He knew that would only buy him a little bit of time.

He rolled over and moved deftly to his feet sliding into the room. He looked down and saw her.

His Lydia.

A shell of the women he knew.

“Oh Hade’s below, what have they done to you Lyds.” He rasped out.

He threw his hand up sealing the room completely to keep the two archangels out for a few minutes at least.

He could see her trembling, her head buried in her legs as she tried to protect herself.

It broke him seeing her like this.

“Come here Lyds… lets get you out of here, what do you say.” He was slowly inching his way toward her, his fingers twitched slightly turning the sharp silver object in her hand into a soft plush black cat.

It was only then that she finally looked up at him, her body still trembling uncontrollably.

* * *

Lydia had been lost in her head till she heard a commotion outside her door. Something was pulling her toward it, it was important. She couldn’t stop the mantra still filling her mind until she saw the door fly open.

A flash of black and white and then it was gone.

And then her mind was blissfully silent.

Something surged up in her, it felt the same as what the silver light in her head had.

That terrified her more than anything as she dropped back down against the wall in the corner, she wrapped her arms around her legs to protect herself.

She hid her head not wanting to see what was going to happen, if they were finally going to kill her, she didn’t want to see who her would be killer was.

She could hear a grunt of furry and a rough voice calling out to Azrael.

That voice! She knew that voice!

It sent goosebumps over her entire body, her hair on the back of her neck rising.

She scooted back against the wall more.

And then he was there in front of her.

She knew him.

Her memories fighting to return but still just out of her grasp.

She felt the letter opener in her hand change into a soft stuffed cat. Reminding her of the one that had been on her bed when she had been a teenager.

She gasped and looked up at the… man? She knew deep down he was so much more than just a man.

She could see his hand extending out to hers, he wanted her to go with him?

“Who are you?” she rasped out, speaking for the first time in weeks.

Betelgeuse felt all his energy sap out of him at Lydia’s words.

He’d never in a million years would have thought that she would have forgotten him. Or had they taken her memories of him as well?

“You don’t remember me? I’m the Ghost with the most?” he whispered knowing they were running out of time. It wouldn’t be long, and Daniel and Azrael would be back with reinforcements.

Lydia squeezed her eyes closed; the pain was back. Just like it had been before when she had been on the verge of remembering something. “I can’t… something, something is stopping it.” She whispered looking up at him.

“Please.” She rasped out, her voice shaky and weak as she begged for anything. 

Anything was better than what she was dealing with there.

She held tight to the stuffed cat still in her hand.

Betelgeuse nodded slowly seeing the pain on her face as she tried to force herself to remember. Hopefully Vanth would be able to help with that. “Yeah, got somewhere safe we can go till this all blows over.” He whispered and held his hand out for her again. “Just gotta hold on babes.” 

Lydia kept a hold of the small stuffed kitten and reached her hand out for him. His touch felt… safe, familiar. 

Betelgeuse carefully pulled Lydia into his arms wrapping himself around her and snapped his fingers.

The two of them disappearing just as the door shattered from the outside and Azrael and his officers poured in.

* * *

“Vanth!” Betelgeuse’s voice broke through the darkness as he cradled Lydia into his arms, she’d passed out the second that he had her safely out of the hospital.

He stumbled slightly as he made his way toward Vanth’s office. He saw Charun taking up guard at the gate. No one would get passed him.

Vanth heard Betelgeuse’s voice echoing and threw open her door running out to him. She stopped seeing the young woman limp in his arms. The desperation in his voice had her assuming the worst… that they were too late.

“What happened.” She hurried toward them.

“They set a trap for me, fuckers really thought that I didn’t have any powers.” He shook his head and shifted Lydia in his arms making sure that he didn’t drop her.

“Where can I lay her down… I need to check her over… she... she doesn’t remember me.” His voice cracked.

Vanth frowned softly. “Did Daniel do that?” she asked.

Betelgeuse shook his head. “I don’t think so… pretty sure it was done after the whole debacle between us. So, most likely underworld mind shit.”

He followed her as she led him back through a small hallway and into a room that had all the amenities that they would need to get by till her birthday. He laid her gently on the bed. He snapped his fingers, her clothes changing from the gray drab hospital issued clothing to soft black pajamas. Ones she’d favored when he’d first met her.

He looked up at Vanth as he collapsed in the chair next to the bed. “Will you be able to help her with her memories… gonna be real fucking hard explaining to her about our bond if she doesn’t even remember what happened the first go around.”

Vanth nodded. “I should be able to… but if not, I do know someone that will be able to.” She said not wanting to bring up Semyaza just yet.

Betelgeuse nodded and reached for the bandages on Lydia’s hands. He concentrated on making sure that he didn’t bump the wounds till he got them uncovered. He was silent as he worked knowing that Vanth was flitting about the room trying to stay close incase he needed her help.

He finally got the last of the gauze off her right hand and brushed his fingertips over the crescent shapes bloody marks embedded in the palm of her hand.

He knew what caused that… she had done that to herself. For what reason he didn’t know. He let his energy build in his fingers and gently pushed it into each of the wounds watching them as they knit together and smoothed away leaving unblemished skin.

Betelgeuse repeated the same thing with her left hand and healed the marks before he gently pulled the blanket up around her. He brushed his hand over her forehead tenderly, pushing the hair back. It had gotten long in their time apart. She’d gone and grown up on him.

Rubbing his eyes tiredly he slumped in on himself trying to figure out what he needed to do next, not noticing that Vanth had slipped out leaving him and Lydia alone.

* * *

Vanth slipped away shutting the door behind her and turned to head back to her office to make sure that everything was in order when Semyaza slid out of the shadows making her jump. She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming out.

“What are you doing here!” she whispered furiously pushing him toward her office.

Semyaza let himself be pushed toward the office and waited till the door was shut before he turned to her. “I told you that I would be back to set up a ward to keep those good for nothing meddlers away.” He said his eyes narrowing. “I’ve already gotten word that the hunt is on. They want them both banished to the nether planes.”

Vanth’s eyes widened. That was the one place that no being wanted to be sent to. It meant complete annihilation of the soul. “How in Hade’s did they get the write off on that.” She whispered terrified for her friend.

Semyaza arched his eyebrows at her. “I told you, something is happening… changing all the rules and the Arch’s are terrified for what that means for them… they are fighting it with all they have regardless of what rules they break in the meantime.” He stood up and headed for the door. “I’m going to ward your sanctum… I won’t have any danger come to my son or his bondmate.” He said with steel in his voice.

Vanth could do nothing as she watched as the leader of the Fallen walked out of her office. He was one of the oldest Fallen, there had been whispers of him being one of **_His_** first sons. But no one would ever ask such a thing. It was a taboo thing to even think about.

All she could do now was wait for Betelgeuse’s bondmate to wake up and she could assess the damage done to her mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Azrael stepped into the office of his superior and stood still his jaw clenched as he waited for the reprimand.

He had failed.

He could see the back of high-backed chair in front of him, behind an immaculately clean desk.

It turned slowly as Samael came into view, his hands steepled together as he rested his elbows against his desktop and looked at Azrael.

“In all of your millennia of service, how many times have you failed me Azrael?” he questioned.

Azrael bowed his head in shame. “I have never failed you Sir.”

“Until now, tell me what was so hard to make sure that a human girl killed herself!” he roared making the table shake with his anger.

“It was of the utmost importance that this be done and you have failed.” He snarled standing up and moving in toward Azrael. His hand shot out gripping Azraels jaw yanking him toward him, his hand smoking has he failed to reign in his anger.

  
“You will find her, you will kill her and maybe I will forgive you.” He pushed his hand away watching as the Archangel stumbled backwards. “You have less than 8 days. Do not fail me again”

Azrael regained his footing and bowed again to Samael. “Your will, will be done Sir.” He said and disappeared.

Samael turned and looked out the window of his office, showing a glimpse of different places that he had thought that god forsaken Demon would have taken the girl. Nothing was showing up. He was getting more and more irritated. 

* * *

Vanth slipped back into the room looking at Betelgeuse, he hadn’t left the girls side since he had brought her in the night before.

“Any change?” she asked gently not to startle him.

Betelgeuse looked up at Vanth and shook his head. He leaned back against the chair and looked over at his friend. “No… and what I’ve been able to see through her dreams… she’s not really dreaming either. Figure a lot of it is getting all that shit they had her on out of her system.”

Vanth nodded in understanding and conjured up a chair sitting down next to Betel. “There is something I need to talk to you about.” She said looking at her oldest friend.

Betelgeuse looked at her his eyes narrowing. “Not liking the sound of that Vanny… what’s going on?” he felt a sliver of panic that they weren’t going to be safe there.

Vanth shook her head and rubbed her head gently, she wasn’t going to be the one to tell Betelgeuse who his father was... that was something that needed to come from Semyaza.

“If I can’t recover your bond mate’s memories, I have someone that can, but you have to trust them, or it won’t work.”

Betelgeuse slowly stood up, his body cracking as he realigned himself. “Ok… so which one of your little Demon buddies do you have in mind?” he asked looking down at the stack of books that were sitting on a small reading desk. Curiously he flipped through them seeing that it was a book about how the line of the Necromancer started.

Vanth didn’t move from the chair as she looked over at the girl. “Semyaza.”

Betelgeuse froze and slowly closed the book replacing it on the stack before he stalked silently over to Vanth, his hands slamming down on the arms of the chair pinning her in place, his face uncomfortably close to hers as he spat out.

“What, in Hade’s name makes you think that I would trust that fucking piece of shit Fallen near _my Lydia_?”

Vanth jerked backwards her eyes widening as she leaned back to get away from Betelgeuse. “He is willing to help Betel… which is more than most would do.” She whispered thickly.

“How does he even know that we are down here Vanth.” He clenched his jaw to keep his anger from erupting.

Vanth swallowed hard as her gaze flicked to the door and back to Betelgeuse. “He was here after you left the first time, offered to help and I accepted it. He warded my sanctum so that none can enter.”

Betelgeuse pushed away from the chair and stalked to the doorway of the room. He ran his hand over the frame from top to bottom and concentrated. Pushing his energy into his fingertips he sealed the door from everyone save himself and Vanth. IF someone else needed to come in, he’d be the one to fucking walk them in. He promised Lydia safety and he would be damned sure that he gave it to her.

Vanth watched Betelgeuse and knew that when it came to his bond mate, he would do anything to protect her… even going against the Leader of the Fallen. She wanted to scream and throw things. Those two needed to speak to each other before it blew up over something else. She had wondered why she had never seen it before, but now looking at the two of them and how they acted… Betel acted exactly like his father. She shook her head and stood up slowly walking over to Lydia. She brushed her fingers over her forehead just to see if her mind was settled. Closing her eyes, she let herself fall slightly into her subconscious.

It was still muted and hazy and she could see a young Lydia sitting in front of a mirror. She didn’t dare go any closer not wanting her to pull up her defenses. Carefully she pulled back and looked at Betelgeuse.

“B… you need to see if you can reach her… she’s projecting her mind-self as a young teenager.” She said softly worried that everything had been too much and Lydia would be trapped in her own mind.

Betelgeuse frowned and moved over to Lydia. He pulled the chair up close to the bed and let himself lean in close to her as he rested his hand over her forehead. Closing his eyes, he let himself find their bond and followed it to Lydia’s subconscious.

He kept himself in the shadows watching as a younger Lydia sat in front of an ornate mirror, a sheet laying on the ground at her feet. He looked at the mirror and realized it was the one that had been in her bedroom back when he first met her… that was the mirror that he had been in when she had called to him during the time that the Maitland’s had left her to go and find out how to get rid of him.

Was this how her memories were being repressed?

He moved slowly out of the shadows and stood behind Lydia. “Lyd’s… its time to come home.” He said softly not wanting to scare her.

The young Lydia looked up at him, tears in her eyes as she threw herself into his arms. “I thought you left me!”

Betelgeuse was confused and tried to remember that this was just the way that her mind was trying to over come what had happened. “I’d never leave you babes.” He assured her rubbing his hand over her back gently, trying to be soothing. He had no fucking clue what he was doing. He didn’t do hugs!

“Just got sent away and couldn’t find you. But I’m back now, never leaving your side again, that I promise!”

He could feel the way that young Lydia’s body was shaking in his arms as she cried. “Can you tell me what’s going on Lyd’s… you remember what happened?”

He watched as she shook her head.

“They took you away from me… and then they left too.” She whispered into his shirt.

“Then Daddy was so mad, he didn’t want me anymore. Had a new baby with Delia.”

“I heard him shouting with someone… about me.”

“He’s not my dad.” 

“Then they got rid of me too, just like they got rid of you…. Locked me up and threw away the key.”

Betelgeuse was floored, that was not what he had been expecting to hear, dear old Chuck wasn’t Lydia’s dad? There was something to that. He could feel it in his bones.

“You don’t ever have to worry about them again babes…. I promised you I’d keep you safe and that’s what I’m going to do… but you gotta wake up for me.”

He looked back down at Lydia and realized that she was no longer a little girl as she had been a second ago, now she was back to her normal self. He swallowed hard hoping that this meant that she remembered him now.

“I don’t know how to.”

Betelgeuse nodded. “Don’t you worry, just close your eyes… and I’ll see you in just a second ok.” He said and pulled out of her mind after she had closed her eyes. He opened his eyes seeing that Lydia was shifting slightly on the bed and he knew that she was trying to wake up. “Come on babes, that’s it open those brilliant eyes for me.” He said and squeezed her hand.

The second that his hand slipped into hers he felt a shock of energy zing through them and Lydia’s eyes flew open, she sat up gasping for breath still holding onto his hand for dear life.

Lydia had been stuck in the darkness of her mind, not truly asleep or awake, but that gray in between time. She had found herself once again in front of the mirror only this time, he was there.

Her savior.

He was something important to her. She just didn’t know what it was yet.

He held her as she cried.

And then he was gone, and she panicked. She couldn’t wake up.

Then she felt it. A surge of silver energy that snaked through her jolting her awake. 

Her eyes snapped open as she gasped for air.

She wasn’t in hospital cloths anymore… but pajamas she had grown out of years ago.

They were familiar and comfortable. Her hand gripped someone else’s, and she turned toward them and something in her shattered to a million pieces. Her mind clearing for the first time in years.

“Betelgeuse.” She whispered, his name passing over her lips for the first time in almost two years. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized how much of her memory had been taken from her. “They made me forget you.” She whispered out her hand still gripping his tightly afraid that he would disappear.

Betelgeuse squeezed her hand gently. “Nothing is going to take me away from you again Babes…nothing.”

Lydia finally realized that they weren’t in any place she had ever been before. Her eyes going over every detail of the room. “Where are we?” she whispered suddenly worried that Betelgeuse would get into trouble for having taken her away from the hospital.

Betelgeuse grinned widely. “Welp, you told me you always wanted to see the Netherworld… here we are. Well, a part of it anyway.” He glanced toward the doorway not sure if Vanth was going to come back in any time soon. 

“How is that possible?” she whispered and reached up to feel her heart still beating in her chest. She was still alive.

“Did you forget that I’m the ghost with the most babes!” he said teasing her lightly. He was still nervous about everything that she needed to be told. He scratched the back of his head and stood up, letting go of her hand as he started to pace.

Lydia frowned as Betelgeuse stood up and let her hand go. It was silly that she found him holding her hand kept her feeling safe.

“Well to be fair, I did.” She snarked crossing her arms over her chest. It was then that she realized that she didn’t have the bandages on her hands anymore. She opened her hands and looked at them in amazement. “ B… what… did you do this…” she asked looking down at the unblemished skin. 

Betelgeuse was jerked out of his rambling thoughts and looked over at Lydia. “Yeah, sure did babes… didn’t want to take a risk of them getting infected. Wasn’t a problem with my juice flowing better than ever.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her knowing he was being obnoxious.

Lydia felt a groan slip out of her mouth and she tried not to laugh. “Thanks…” her smile slipped into a frown as something occurred to her. “How is that possible… when they sent you away, they took your powers again? Didn’t they?”

Betelgeuse shrugged his shoulders slightly and moved to sit back down. “See that’s the part that you and I need to have a bit of a talk about….” He said hesitantly and reached back out to take her hand. Again, he could feel that underlying zing of power flowing between them. He looked up at her. “Can you feel that?” he asked carefully.

Lydia frowned as she looked down at her hand that Betelgeuse was holding. “Like static?”

“Yeah, just like that.” He cleared his throat and looked down at her hand. “Shit babes… how the fuck do I say this.” He groaned knowing that no matter what he said or how he said it… it didn’t make it any easier.

Lydia worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “Just spit it out.” She held up her hand seeing that he would most likely take that seriously just to be an ass. “Not literally.”

Betelgeuse grinned roguishly. “You know me too well babes.” He cleared his throat and frowned as he tried to find the right words.

“You remember that day, you all dolled up in that red dress… me in my matching number, looked pretty damn amazing if I don’t say so.” He trailed off seeing Lydia raise her eyebrow at him as he started to ramble. “Its like this… whatever we started… it was finished, not stopped.” He said letting her draw her own conclusion from that.

He waited, watching her face as she turned over in her head what he had said.

Lydia’s eyes widened. “Wait! Are you… do you…“ She looked down at their hands still clasped together.

“ ** _We’re married_**?!”


	8. Chapter 8

Vanth had been standing outside the door waiting for a good chance to enter with out startling either of her guests. 

She covered her mouth trying not to laugh as she heard Lydia’s yelled question.

Oh Betel, a way with words you don’t have, she thought to herself.

She figured that she’d be nice and give Betel a break and stepped into the room wanting to check and see how the girl was now that she was awake.

Stepping into the room she waved her hand conjuring up a tea set, with steaming hot water and a selection of tea. “I thought that a bit of tea would be helpful while talking.” She said watching the two of them.

Betelgeuse stood up and took the tray from Vanth. “Thanks Vanny… just was trying to explain things” he said a bit irritated that they were interrupted. But he had been fucking up things as usual, maybe it was a good thing she was there.

“Just was telling Lyd’s about the whole bond thing.”

Vanth nodded and looked over at the girl who still had a look of shock on her face. “Finding your bond mate is something very rare Betel.”

Lydia looked between the two of them. “Wait, what is a bond… and a bond mate, I thought we were talking about marriage?” she was getting frustrated and the exhaustion was still taking a toll on her from her stay at the hospital. “Forget that, who are you and where am I?”

Betelgeuse glared at Vanth. “I was gettin’ there before you had to butt your leather tits into the conversation.” He muttered and turned back to Lydia. “Lyd’s… this is Vanth. Gate Keeper to the underworld, Winged Demoness of Death, yada yada yada…” he trailed off and busied himself with making Lydia a cup of tea.

Lydia looked at the woman… demoness and tipped her head to the side slightly as she studied her. She had a leather breast plate on and no shirt, and a leather skirt that looked to be made from various furs. For a winged Demoness she was lacking in the wings department. She looked a the demon a bit puzzled by that. “Where are your wings?”

Vanth laughed softly and turned, her wings shimmering into view. “They are a pain in the ass if I leave them out all the time, think a cat and how its tail is and put two of them on your back.” She smiled softly. “It’s nice to meet you darling. I promise that you are safe here. No one can come in without me or Betel bringing them in.” she assured her.

Lydia looked over at Betelgeuse and could see that he had changed since the last time that she had seen him. “Thank you both, I don’t think that I would have lasted much longer there… I just, I don’t know what’s going on, why this happened.” She said her voice dropping down into a whisper.

Betelgeuse sighed and looked at Vanth nodding at the door. This was something that he needed to tell her. He didn’t think that she would take it all that great had it come from someone else.

* * *

Vanth slipped out of the room shutting the door behind her. She headed for her office and sighed realizing that once again Semyaza was sitting there. “Do you want him to find you here? He wasn’t happy to know you’d been here.” She snapped out knowing that it would be any time now that those two would come to blows… and she would prefer her sanctum to remain in one piece.

Semyaza flipped through the book in his hands and looked at Vanth. “Don’t you find it curious that she is having no issues being here in underworld.” He asked curiously.

Vanth shook her head. “Not really, she’s an awakening Necromancer, she shouldn’t have any problems going from this plane to the one of the living.”

Semyaza grinned his eyes dark as they sparkled with something in the hidden depths. “Oh, but Vanth, there is something so much more to it than that.” He stood up and moved toward her. “You were just in the room with her and yet I can smell her power all over you, because she doesn’t know how to pull it back, hide it…. Do you know who else has to do that?” he said nearly backing her into the wall.

Vanth reached out and put her hand to Semyaza’s chest and held him there. “I don’t know what you are talking about, but if you keep it up then Betel will know you are here.” She said putting on a false bravado. 

Semyaza wanted to rip his hair out. “You aren’t getting it! That girl is not fully human! And it has nothing to do with her bloodline of Astarte.” He growled. “You find out who that girl’s father is before it comes back to bite us all in the fucking ass.” He said and then with a frustrated growl slammed his hand against the wall before he disappeared.

Vanth slid down the wall trembling, hating herself for how weak that had made her feel. She needed to talk to Betelgeuse and find out what was going on.

  


* * *

Betelgeuse brought over the cup of tea and handed it gently to Lydia as she sat up slowly in the bed more. “Look, I know there is a lot we have to talk about and there is going to be names thrown and probably books at my head… but one thing you gotta know babes, ain’t nothing and no one gonna hurt you again.”

He sat down in the chair he had been in the last day and a half and waited to see what she would do. He was so used to seeing her so vibrant with life, but now she was so thin, pale and lifeless. When he got his hands on those mother fucking Arch’s they’d feel just how powerful he was.

It had taken him unleashing his energy against Azrael and Daniel to realize that his powers hadn’t been bound, he had just forgotten how to use them properly. He’d been so used to siphoning them around the bindings that he had forgotten what it felt like to do it right.

Lydia watched Betelgeuse as she slowly sipped her tea, it was fixed just how she liked it and it made her wonder again, how much he had paid attention to her all those years before. “What’s the difference.” She asked finally breaking the silence.

“Difference in what babes?” 

“Being married and being bonded.” She said sipping her tea again her eyes never wavering from Betelgeuse’s face.

Betelgeuse lifted his foot up crossing his ankle over his knee. “ Marriage is for breathers… what we have… kind of goes beyond that. Its exactly what you think… we are connected together for eternity.” He reached out and touched her letting his energy flow to her. “I can give you a bit of a boost… and you being bonded to me gives me a boost as well.” He said.

Lydia narrowed her eyes at the feel of the soft warmth flowing through her fingers and up her arm. It felt like a warm fire on a cold day, soothing and seeping into her skin. “What kind of boost for you, does that mean that you aren’t bound anymore… what about the thing on your name?”

Betelgeuse grinned his eyes sparking with mischief. “You can say my name as many times as you want to babes, I’m not going anywhere.” He snapped his fingers and a steaming bowl of hot soup and fresh bread appeared on the tray. “Can you try and eat for me while I tell you what all has been going on.”

Lydia could smell the soup; it was a rich chicken soup that had her mouth watering. She tore a piece of the bread off and let it soak up the broth before slowly taking a bite. It had been weeks since she’d had something that wasn’t bland, boiled and over cooked. She savored the bite and closed her eyes as she chewed the bread slowly.

Watching Lydia eat shouldn’t be as interesting as it was for Betelgeuse but for some reason, watching the life come back into her eyes, her cheeks getting a bit more color had him wanting to bring her everything and anything that she wanted. Just to see her getting back to a fraction of her old self. He wasn’t going to answer her question about what kind of boost he got from the bond... just yet. It was something that would be answered when there wasn’t so much distance between them.

“There are some books there, for you to go over when you are done eating and up for some book work.” He said slowly trying to formulate in his head how to bring this up. “Back at the beginning times… things were a lot different. Archangels were known for fucking women and killing any children they had with them.”

“Sometimes, the women would slip from their thrall and have the children alone, or they’d leave’m with another family to raise. But the thing is, having an Arch as a father… or even a Fallen as a father.” He stopped seeing the confused look on Lydia’s face. “Archangel or a Fallen Angel.” He added for her understanding.

“Having either of them for a father meant that when that kid died, they didn’t go on to the underworld like all other humans do…no, they get a life of immortality as a Demon, depending on how powerful the daddy is where they end up on the totem pole.” He sighed. “But here is the tricky thing right, sometimes… something happens to throw fuck all over the rules. Purah, was a fallen angel who fell in love with a mortal woman, they had a daughter named Astarte.” He stopped when he saw a far away look in Lydia’s eyes.

Lydia felt like her world was closing in around her. She knew this story. Her mother had told her it when she was little. Telling her it was important for her to know it, to tell her daughter when it came time. She picked up the story where Betelgeuse left off. “Purah, who was the fallen angel of forgetfulness and conjuring the dead, loved his daughter and in her life gave her the gift of his magic. She is the mother of the arts, passed on from mother to daughter, line unbroken.” She whispered and looked up at Betelgeuse.

“My mother… she told me that story when I was little. Told me it was important to remember it. I’d forgotten.” She whispered.

Betelgeuse clench his jaw as he watched the uncertainty flash over Lydia’s face. “Your mom was right. Not so much a story though.” He said and cleared his throat. “You, are the last of the line, that bloodline that she has passed on.” He watched her closely. “That’s your birthright Lyd’s.” he said and reached out brushing his hand over the back of hers just to let her feel the bond, to know he was there.

Lydia’s mouth was dry as she felt the surge of energy wash over her from Betelgeuse’s touch. “Is it why the Archangels wanted me dead?” she whispered.

Betelgeuse nodded grimly. “Once you turn 18, you’ll have your what they call ‘awakening’. You’ll come into your powers and begin to learn how to control them.”

Lydia frowned again, it didn’t make any sense… she didn’t have any powers. She couldn’t do anything to harm the Archangels, why would they want her out of the way? “What powers?” she asked her voice barely breaking a whisper. “What do they have to fear from me?”

Betelgeuse leaned back and looked at Lydia watching as she almost turned in on herself. “Think about it Lyds, you ain’t no fucking slacker in the brains department. You know. If your momma taught you about Astarte’s story. She told you more… think about it.” 

Lydia wanted to throw her soup at him but she held onto it instead. It was still steaming warm, the smell still enticing her to eat. But she had to know what was going on. She closed her eyes trying to remember everything that her mother had told her.

The whispered lessons of her childhood.

Cloaked in secrecy and fantasy… at least she had thought it to be fantasy at the time.

“Conjuring the dead… passed on from her father, to be passed on from mother to daughter.” She opened her eyes and looked at Betelgeuse wanting to be wrong.

“Necromancy.”

Betelgeuse grinned and clapped his hands.

“Bingo babes, you got it in one.” His eyes held a darkness to them now that she hadn’t seen before, but she found that still she wasn’t afraid.

“Why do they want me dead.” She asked needing that last piece of the puzzle for it to all make sense.

“What does one power player do when another equally powerful player suddenly comes onto the field and changes all the rules?” he asked watching her intently.

“Takes out the competition before they lose their power of course. And you my dear sweat Lydia… you are heads above the rest of the players and ready to burn the fucking rules to the ground.”

Lydia could feel the shiver slip up her spine at his words. She should be telling him that he was wrong, but she knew deep down that he wasn’t. She’d been told since she was a child old enough to remember that she would change the world.

Now she knew why.

She nodded once her jaw clenched in determination.

“Then I better make sure that I know everything before my birthday, then right?”

Betelgeuse let a slow smirk slip over his face as he leaned back in the chair watching the way that the acceptance had just rolled right over her, everything about her seemed to shift and he knew that this was just the beginning.

“I’ll be right there by your side babes, till the end of time”


	9. Chapter 9

Vanth was pacing in her office wondering how things were going between Betel and his bondmate. She had been worried that he would have been able to feel the fact that Semyaza had been there, she should have known better.

Semyaza was older than time itself, he knew a few tricks up his sleeve and would use them to make sure that he was undetectable to any that he didn’t want to be seen by… his son being the one now he was avoiding.

She watched as her mailbox on the back of her door glowed, indicating she had a message from someone. Frowning she walked toward it slowly and pulled out the paper. She rolled her eyes seeing the paper's letter head. Bunch of pompous asses, the lot of them.

It was a message from Gabriel’s office… one that he shared with Azrael. She knew that she was being played. Thinking that if it was coming from Gabriel’s and not Azrael, she’d be more willing to help with whatever they were asking. She read through the missive and narrowed her eyes. She slammed the door open and stalked down the hallway toward Betel’s room.

He needed to see this.

She stopped outside the door and knocked softly in case Lydia was sleeping.

* * *

Betelgeuse had been staring at the fireplace watching as it crackled and spat out flames and sparks occasionally, Lydia had been asleep for a few hours and he hadn’t left his chair. He had helped her to understand as much as he could… what little bit that he knew. Exhausted still from being in that fucking hospital she had fallen asleep on the small sofa; her head having fallen to his shoulder. It only had been two days since he'd rescued her. Even though he had wanted to stay like that for as long as she would let him, he knew that it wouldn’t be good for her to sleep like that. So, he’d done what all good and dutiful bondmates did… he carried her to her bed and slipped her under the blankets.

Now, he was sitting and staring broodily into the fireplace.

He heard a soft knock on the door and waved it open so that Vanth didn’t wake Lydia with the door opening.

Vanth stepped in and held out the paper for him to see and then motioned for him to put a silencing bubble around Lydia. She knew how volatile Betel was, especially now when it came to his bond mate.

Betelgeuse felt a fission of worry wash over him as he snapped his fingers and cocooned Lydia in a bubble of quiet. He looked at Vanth and held his hand out. “How did you get it?” he asked as he took it and slowly read the garbage.

Vanth bit her lip. “In my letter box, you know how they do the inter and outer office notices and memos.” She said still keeping her voice down.

**_Demoness Vanth, Keeper of the Scroll of Destiny to the Dead, Gatekeeper to the Underworld,_ **

_Be advised that there has been reports of a rouge Demon that has taken hostage of a human girl._

_It is to be thought that he is seeking out safety in the underworld._

_It is imperative that the human girl be brought to High Archangel Samael for her safety._

_Any help from you in this matter will absolve you in any wrongdoing from this day forth._

  * _High Councilor-First Level of the Moon, Archangel Gabriel_



Betelgeuse finished reading over the paper watching as it caught fire in his hand shriveling and turning to ash before he banished it into the fire. He looked up at Vanth. “Did you reply?” he asked his voice barely containing the rage that was threatening to boil out.

Vanth shook her head quickly. “No, I brought it straight to you.”

Betelgeuse nodded and glanced over at Lydia. “Keep her safe, I’ll be back soon. It seems that I need to make sure that this rouge Demon makes a name for himself.” He said as he snapped his fingers, his striped suit replacing the black pants and white shirt he’d had on.

“If I’m not back in four hours, wake her up and have Lydia call for me, only she has that power.” He said knowing that in truth once she came into her own powers, he’d have that ability to find her wherever she was and she would be able to find him as well. It was part of their bond, being connected eternally had their perks after all.

Vanth nodded and reached out her hand resting on Betel’s arm. “Be safe.” She felt funny telling him that knowing that he could take care of himself and had been for centuries.

She watched as he popped out of the room and moved to sit down on the chair that Betel had vacated. Glancing worriedly over at Lydia she hoped that he wasn’t gone long.

* * *

Betelgeuse took his time as he reappeared top side. He knew that they were looking for him and he was going to give them a chance to find him. He had pay back to deal them after all. He closed his eyes and let his energy wash out of him. It was amazing to feel it flowing through him so freely now. He drew in a deep breath waiting for something to tug on his imaginary feelers. He’d find those bastards, one way or another.

It didn’t take long and he felt it, from about a quarter mile to his left. A ruffle of wind as one of them appeared in the mortal world. He let himself sink into the shadows slightly watching as Azrael himself appeared not twenty yards from him. 

Oh, this was going to be so good. He thought to himself and allowed a smirk to slip onto his face.

He stepped out of the shadows pushing his hands into his pockets as he started for Azrael. “Heard from a birdy that you are looking for me there Azzie, one ass kicking not enough for you?” he asked with a vindictive chuckle.

  
Betelgeuse watched as the Archangel’s face tinged pink. “Oh look at that, you can blush! Oh is that anger you are feeling there feather duster?” he taunted and rocked back on his heels bouncing lightly.

Azrael could feel his anger pooling in his stomach as he looked at this Demon that had gotten the best of him days before. It was his fault that he had failed his mission. “You Demon are to be brought before High Archangel Samael.” He said tightly. “You are to come peacefully and quietly, that will earn you a chance to plead your case.”

Betelgeuse had to give it to him, he had some balls to say that with a straight face. He laughed loudly. “You think that _I,_ will come quietly and peacefully? What fucking rock have you been living under Azrael!” he could feel the energy sparking at his fingertips wanting to unleash itself at its target. “You have hurt and nearly killed someone very special to me. And for that you are going to pay.”

Azrael held out his hand to forestall any onslaught from the Demon. “You do not know what you are dealing with.” He snarled. “I should have killed her when her mother was begging me not to.” He pulled his sword out and held it out ready to block any balls of energy shot at him.

Betelgeuse narrowed his eyes. He would have to ask Lydia about that but first he needed to kick this asshole back to his level in the upper plane.

“Looks like you aren’t going to get to try again, she is out of your reach. Permanently!” he disappeared in a puff of smoke and let a mirror image of himself move further away from Azrael to draw his attention that way before he reappeared behind the archangel silently.

Reaching out he gripped Azrael’s arms and pulled his own sword against his throat he growled into his ear from behind him. “You give Samael a message from me…. He comes after me or mine again I will raze everything from the underworld to the Empyrean to ashes.” He pulled the blade harder against Azrael’s throat knowing that he was leaving a bloody line where the blade dug in.

Azrael tried to voice his assent as he was held captive under his own blade. “I will relay… your… message.” He rasped out feeling the blood trickling down his neck.

Betelgeuse grinned as he ripped the sword away from Azrael’s neck and spun away from him holding him now by the tip of his own sword. “I think that I’ll be keeping this… now run along, go back to your master with your tail between your legs like a good little bitch!” he growled out before snapping himself away and reappearing back in the underworld.

* * *

Semyaza had been waiting for Betelgeuse to leave his bonded unattended. He needed to speak to her with out his overbearing protection getting in the way. Slowly he slipped out of the shadows and ran his hand down the outside of the door feeling the protections that his son had imbibed in the door frame. It was… impressive he admitted to himself. He smiled as he pushed that bit of pride back. Now was not the time to crow about how far he’d come in such a short amount of time.

He pushed through the warding letting his blood connection to the wielder of the wards recognize kin and slipped through with a smirk. He’d have to make sure that his son knew of those little… bypasses.

He kept to the shadows and saw that Vanth was in the chair by the fireplace with her nose in a book, as usual. He waved his hand casting a glamour over the side of the room where the girl was, making it appear that she was still alone and asleep. Vanth would be none the wiser.

Semyaza stepped toward the bed his eyes narrowing as he finally got a pure untainted scent of the young nearly awakened Necromancer. He closed his eyes… he could smell the power, how it rolled off of her unchecked. He would have to teach her how to mask that or she would be a sitting duck for every being wanting to feed off her energy. He waved his hand conjuring a chair to sit in and reclined back in it, crossing his legs as he rested his elbows on the arms just taking the time to look at her as he tried to figure out who… or what her father was.

Concentrating now for the first time since he’d been in there, he could feel the power running just under her skin. It made his own skin crawl with out dangerous she felt. He tipped his head to the side slowly looking at her to see if he could see some semblance of her father in her…. but he had a feeling that she took solely after her mother. Probably a good thing in the long run, no one would be able to tell who she was just at a glance.

If he tried to push away the deep darkness that wrapped around her power and tried to look beyond that, he might be able to see her core. To see how it intertwined with all the energy and power that made up this slip of a girl.

He felt it suddenly just as her eyes shot open and she looked at him.

He’d felt it.

He knew.

He stood up abruptly and started to pace.

Hades help them all.

She truly would be the damnation of them all if she wasn’t trained right.

He looked back at her seeing that she was terrified of him.

“I am not here to hurt you child, be at ease… I am a friend.”

* * *

Lydia had been deeply asleep when something made her wake up suddenly, a change in the room that felt unlike anything she had felt yet since she’d been there. It set her instantly on edge and she kept herself in a sleep like place so that she could assess how much danger she was in.

That was until she felt something seeping into her, an energy that felt completely different than anything she’d felt before. Her eyes shot open, her body freezing as she saw an older man sitting in the chair that Betelgeuse had been sitting in. She watched him as she tried to figure out who he was… he looked so familiar… her heart was hammering in her chest as she fought to keep from screaming.

She watched as his eyes widened and he stood up suddenly and started to pace.

Lydia felt a wash of fear paralyze her when she realized that Betelgeuse wasn’t there, and then he spoke.

“Who are you.” She tried to keep her voice even.

“I am Semyaza, leader of the Fallen Angels.” He answered her.

“What have you done to Vanth.” She asked seeing the demoness sitting in the chair with her back to them, completely unconcerned that they weren’t alone.

“I’ve done nothing to her, she is only seeing what I want her to see at this moment, and that is that you are still sound asleep…” Semyaza said, making it seem that it was nothing to be worried about.

“Where is Betelgeuse.” She asked slowly worried about where he was at, he’d promised her that he wouldn’t leave her alone and that she would be safe.

“I’m sure that he will return soon, I will be sure to be gone by the time that he gets back. I just wanted to be sure you were alright Miss Lydia Enheduanna.”

Lydia’s eyes widened as she felt apprehension about this.. fallen angel. She had a feeling that Betelgeuse wouldn’t be happy that he was there while he wasn’t. “I think that its time for you to go, if it is that important for you to be here, then come back when Betelgeuse is here.” She said trying to be firm.

* * *

The second that Betelgeuse stepped foot back in the underworld he felt it. His eyes narrowed as he stalked toward Vanth’s rooms and made a beeline for his and Lydia’s room. His wards were still up… but something wasn’t right. Pushing the door open he saw nothing out of the ordinary at first till a glimmer of shadows flickered in his vision.

With a rage and furry that was still at the surface from dealing with Azrael he slammed his hand into the wall pushing all his energy into it dispelling the secrecy ward that had been brought over the room. He saw Vanth turn sharply toward him and he looked over at Lydia’s bed.   
  


“YOU!” He snarled stalking toward the Fallen angel. “Are not welcome here!” He pulled out the sword he had liberated from Azrael and held the tip of it to Semyaza’s throat. “I’ve spilled one Angel’s blood tonight, it won’t hurt me one damn bit to add a Fallen to it as well.”

Semyaza kept calm as Betelgeuse held him at sword point. “I have no desire to hurt your bondmate Betelgeuse.” He waved his hand toward the girl. “Ask her, have I said or did anything untoward to you my dear girl?”

Betelgeuse kept his eyes glued to the Fallen in front of him not willing to give him a chance to slip away. “Are you ok babes?”

Lydia drew in a slow breath willing her heart to stop beating so wildly in her chest. “He didn’t do anything, just wanted to be sure that I was ok.” She said slowly and went to slip out of the bed. She moved carefully toward Betelgeuse and reached her hand out to his arm holding the sword. “I’m fine.” She assured him.

Betelgeuse pulled Lydia into his side reassured that she was safe in his arms. “Get out of here.” He growled at Semyaza.

“You have no idea what you are up against Betelgeuse, ask her who her father is.” He said as he started for the doorway and before any of them could ask what he meant, he sank into the shadows and disappeared.

Betelgeuse dropped the sword and wrapped his arms around Lydia holding her tightly to him. “Shit Babes… if I’d known that he would have pulled that crap I’d have just stayed here with you.” He whispered into the top of her head. Semyaza’s last words were cryptic and everything was started to wear at him. All they had were questions upon questions upon questions and no fucking answers.

“Do you know what he meant when he said to ask who your father is?”

Lydia shook her head just as confused. “No… I don’t know who my father is, I just know that it isn’t Charles.” She was startled to realize that feeling Betelgeuse’s arms around her holding her so close confused her, feelings that it was dredging up had her mind spinning and at the same time as it made her feel safe and secure.

They were brought out of their thoughts when Vanth moved in next to them, Lydia could see how upset she was.

Betelgeuse raised his hand to stop her from starting to apologize. “Its not your fault Vanny, you know how he is… I won’t make the same mistake twice.” He assured her.

Lydia looked down at the sword that Betelgeuse had dropped as she half listened to him trying to assure Vanth that it wasn’t her fault. “Where did you get the sword?” she asked.

Betelgeuse turned back toward Lydia and had a dark grin on his face. “Now that’s a story for sure… get yourself back in bed and I’ll tell you all about it.” 

Vanth shook her head. “I’ll leave you two, to it… I’ll be in my office if you need anything.” She sighed and slipped out the door shutting it behind her. She was still so angry at herself for slipping up like that. She was going to have words with Semyaza the next time that she saw him, that was a promise.  
  



	10. Chapter 10

Semyaza was pacing back and forth in his study, papers and scrolls littering the floor and desk. He had been researching nonstop since he had left Vanth’s place after realizing who his son’s bonded was.

There had to be something there. Something to explain this or how this had happened.

He stopped in front of the fireplace looking into the flames and sighed hating that he was missing something. If he could just find it. There had to be something.

He knew that he needed to speak to Betelgeuse… and to his bonded. Maybe they had the missing information with out realizing it.

There was something driving him to find this and he had a feeling that it was important for them to know before she reached her awakening.

He snarled loudly and swept his desk off in a fit of anger, sending scrolls and papers flying everywhere.

Conjuring up a piece of parchment he quickly wrote out a missive to Vanth to give to Betelgeuse.

**_-It is imperative that you come to my sanctum, bring your bonded. If you do not wish to leave Vanth’s sanctum then I will come to you. Just send word._ **

**_Time is against us. Do not keep me waiting._ **

**_-S_ **

****

After making sure that the missive was sent, he slumped down in his chair, his head in his hand as he thought about how he was supposed to make Betelgeuse understand. To tell him the truth of his own birthright and what it meant for his bond with the awakening necromancer.

It was an absolute mess.

One that he knew that Fate and Destiny were responsible for.

* * *

Betelgeuse watched Lydia move back and forth in front of the fireplace in their room, her hand holding up a book she had been reading that was supposed to help her understand her birthright. He knew that he was being a creeper as he watched her, his eyes following her every movement.

He couldn’t help it. She looked so much healthier now that he had her at his side. Her skin had color to it again and there was a spark of fire slowly igniting in her soul again. He had been afraid that it had been burnt out, he had been afraid that he’d have lost that part of her. He couldn’t stop the small smile from slipping over his face as he watched her brow furrow a sign she was concentrating on the book, her nose wrinkling up slightly as she reached up and absentmindedly tucked her hair behind her ear, only to watch the stubborn strand slip back down and tickle her cheek. It hit him rather hard how much he wanted to reach up and brush the stubborn hair back and smooth his hand over her cheek just to feel her against his hand. 

He swallowed thickly trying to push back that sudden want. They had a long way to go before he could entertain those thoughts.

Lydia could feel Betelgeuse’s eyes on her as she read over the book. She wasn’t sure what it made her feel like, but it didn’t anger her… or disgust her. She found that she liked that he was so captivated by her doing something as simple as reading that he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

She was just plane Lydia, there was nothing special about her.

She wasn’t beautiful, she didn’t have a full figure or a body that made guys lust after her. There was nothing appealing about her.

But for the first time, she felt… special. Like she wasn’t invisible.

She heard the door open and looked over seeing Vanth walk in with a paper, a look of concern slipping over her face as she handed it to Betelgeuse.

“It just came, I know that you probably don’t want to deal with him, but this could be important.” Her voice was soft but still held a tinge of worry.

Betelgeuse saw the paper and only because of Vanth’s words did he keep himself from turning it to ash with out reading it.

“He’s really pushing my ability to be patient with him, you know that?” He snarked his hand crumpling the paper slightly as he read over the words.

“Babes…” he looked up at Lydia. “Semyaza says he has some important information for us, wants us to go to his sanctum.” He frowned not liking the thought of leaving Vanth’s sanctum just yet. He knew here, they were absolutely protected. Where as with Semyaza, he had no idea how safe they would be or who would see them.

He did not want it getting back to the Arch’s that they were holed up in the underworld.

Lydia looked up from her book and closed it slowly before she sat it down on the desk and made her way over to Betelgeuse. “Do you think its safe?” she wouldn’t lie, the thought of getting to go somewhere else outside of this room was appealing to her.

Betelgeuse ran his hands over his hair making it stand up even more than usual as he debated on what to say. He had saved her from being a virtual prisoner… he didn’t want her to think or feel that she had traded one jailer for another. “I will make it as safe as I possibly can. But I can’t promise you anything outside of these walls.” It took a lot in him to admit that. He hated admitting to any flaws.

He sighed seeing the look in her eyes, he knew that look well. She wanted to go, but she wasn’t going to say it. “We’ll go.” He turned and looked at Vanth. “Send him a message back, I want his place as secure as it is here before we get there… I’m giving him four hours.” That should give him plenty of time to worry himself stupid.

Vanth sighed and nodded glancing over at Lydia with a soft smile. “I can get some clothes for you, if you’d like to have a bath.” She knew that Betelgeuse had been just snapping his fingers for her to feel clean.

Lydia’s eyes lit up at the thought of a bath and soaking in hot water. “I would love to have a bath.” She looked over at Betelgeuse and arched her eyebrows up at him. “If you are good, you can talk to me while I’m in it… there are some things that I read, that I’m curious to know if they are true or not.” She said narrowing her eyes at him.

Betelgeuse’s mouth had started to drop at the realization that she wasn’t going to kick him out while she bathed… but then that quickly turned to worry when she narrowed her eyes at him. Questions huh… yeah, those could be really fucking tricky.

“Sure Babes, you know that I’ll answer whatever ya got” he said hoping that he wasn’t going to want to shove his foot in his mouth later for that.

He watched as Vanth flitted around conjuring up a tub filling it with hot steaming water. Lydia grinning as the two talked. He moved back over to the desk picking up the book that Lydia had been reading wanting to figure out what she wanted to talk about. He froze when he heard Lydia moan and turned just in time to see her slipping into the tub full of bubbles. The glimpse of skin sent a shock of heat through him. Something that was so foreign to him that he dropped the book. He waited till Vanth slipped out of the room before he walked slowly over to where Lydia was soaking in the tub. He snapped his fingers and his chair appeared beside her.

There was as subtle scent that tickled at his nose… something familiar. “Alright Lyds, you have my full attention.” He said hoping that she didn’t realize exactly how much he was paying attention to her.

Lydia looked up at him, the bubbles and heat soothing away the tension she had been carrying for days. “The book mentioned something about how we would be able to have free flowing exchange of energy.” She said reaching out to touch his hand knowing that would send a whisper of a wave of energy through the two of them. “What does that do to us exactly?”

Betelgeuse sighed and looked down at where she was touching his hand. “You have living energy, my energy is that of the dead… but seeing as you are from the line of Astarte, my energy will have no bad effects on you, but if you were just a normal human it could make you sick.” He admitted knowing that was something he hadn’t told her when he had been trying to trick her into marrying him.

At the time he really hadn’t thought that through. The only excuse he had is that he had been locked up by himself for too long. His mind hadn’t been right. He risked looking up at Lydia to see what her reaction was to that.

Lydia watched Betelgeuse as he admitted that he could have made her sick. But something struck her and it made her really look at him closely. “You said that my energy is living energy… so what is that doing to you then?” she reached out and tentatively brushed her fingertips over his cheek. He didn’t look as... pale, a touch of color seemed to be apparent now, he wasn’t deathly cold to the touch either just pleasantly cool. His hair a bit thicker, now that she was looking so closely at him.

Betelgeuse tried hard not to lean into her touch. She felt like a furnace and by the gods above and below he wanted to feel it. He gave in and closed his eyes letting his head rest against her hand. To have something as freely given as this touch had him reeling, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt anything so perfect.

“You tell me Lyds… you can see for yourself what it’s doing to me.” He whispered not wanting to break the spell between them.

Lydia shifted in the tub slightly, turning so she could properly look at him. “You don’t look as dead.” She said bluntly with a small grin.

“Right to the point of it huh.” He smiled and finally opened his eyes looking at her, this was the closest he’d been to her and he took the time to really study her face. The way that she always tipped her head to the side as if she was studying something monumentally important. The freckles that were sprinkled over her porcelain cheeks. That was something he’d never noticed before. “I’ll always be dead… but when your birthright awakens… that energy will change me more. How much more I don’t know.” He said letting that lie hold for now.

It hit him then, the smell of the bubbles. It was vanilla and something deeper, darker. His senses were getting sharper now.

Lydia nodded knowing that he was leaving out more, but it could wait. “Thank you, for telling me.” She said her hand still cupping his cheek gently. In the past few days she had found herself drawn to him more and more. It was a bit shocking but not unwelcomed.

Betelgeuse nodded with a half grin. “No problem babes.” He said falling back on his letting things just slide off of him.

She was so close to him right now. It was hard to concentrate. “Anything else you wanted to talk about… get off your chest while we’re here.” He winked at her but resisted the urge to glance down at her chest, still covered by the bubbles.

Lydia could see that Betelgeuse was struggling, but she wasn’t sure what he was struggling with.

“When I was in the hospital. Daniel unlocked my memories that Azrael had taken from me when I was seven. I don’t think that even he realized what he had done. I had made it a point while I was there to not say a word. I Didn’t want to give him any power over me.” She said softly. It still hurt to think about it, but she knew that she needed to tell him what had happened.

Maybe there was something that she was missing. She drew in a breath and focused on the bubbles, staring through them as she started to talk again.

“I remember playing and answering the door… it was Azrael. He picked me up and covered my mouth, taking my voice from me and went after my mother. He was accusing her of something. Saying that she had betrayed someone and that I was the proof of that and that she had married Charles.”

She said softly she looked up at Betelgeuse. “I was blocked from getting to her, some invisible wall that kept me back but I could see everything. I think he wanted me to see… and he then forced her to her knees in front of him.” Her eyes went a bit distant as she looked through Betelgeuse, remembering the past. “He put his hand on her forehead and a wave of black energy came rushing out of her. It shattered the barrier that had held me back… and then she just collapsed to the floor and I knew she was dead.”

She shook her head trying to stop the images from coming to the forefront of her mind again. “He took my memories of what happened and made it all look like she had committed suicide, that I had been asleep in bed.”

Something wormed its way into Betelgeuse’s mind as he listened to Lydia. He looked up at her and reached out to brush the hair behind her ear. Finally giving in to that silly desire. “Did Azrael say who it was that your mom supposedly betrayed?”

Lydia leaned back in the tub her mind going over the memories. “Sa….” She whispered as she struggled to remember. “Sam….ael.” She felt her throat tighten as she whispered out the name.

Betelgeuse felt his stomach drop out and he sat back hard in his chair. “Are you sure Lyds.” He asked as the gut-wrenching worry clenched at his insides.

Lydia nodded. “Yes, I’m sure….Bee… why? Who is it?” 

Betelgeuse leaned forward toward Lydia and rested his hands on the side of the tub. “Samael is _The_ High Archangel.” He said. “Head dick in control of everything on the upper level, also likes to think that he controls everything down here too.” He scoffed as his mind ran through every scenario of how or why Lydia’s mom had supposedly betrayed Samael.

Lydia slumped back in the tub and raised a trembling hand to her forehead. Why was everything so complicated. She ducked her head under the water getting her hair wet and then came back up looking at Betelgeuse.

“So… I’m coming to a pretty stark conclusion then that the proof of the betrayal was her having me… meaning that she was with the bastard at some point and cheated on him and got pregnant with me, or that she wasn’t supposed to have me and he’s my mystery father.” She was trying not to even think about all of technicalities of it right then, she was struggling to keep from having a panic attack. “I’m guessing that Archangels don’t have some quick and easy dna test.”

Betelgeuse had come to the same conclusion. “We’ll figure it out Lyds, and maybe Semyaza will be able to find out one way or another.” He reached out and brushed the water from under her eye his touch lingering slightly before he pulled back and then stood up. “You want to finish up your bath... I’ll find you something to wear.” He said going to the side of the room where her bed was and the stack of clothes sitting there that Vanth had brought her when they first had arrived.

He had to distract himself because right then, all he could think about was Lydia in the tub and how the bubbles had been starting to disappear.

He might have played up to being the dirty old man years before…. But this was his bonded… and he refused to let her think that he didn’t respect her.

Even though he had a feeling that the smell of that particular vanilla would haunt him from now on.

Lydia could feel her cheeks burning as she smiled slightly watching as Betelgeuse turned his back to her. She bit her lip as she brushed her fingers over where he had touched her cheek. She shook her head. She was being silly. Ducking her head back into the water she came up and reached for the shampoo taking her time as she washed herself. Her mind going back to all that had happened over the last few days.

It all seemed to be coming to a head the closer to her birthday that it came.

They had six days to figure all this out and to make sure that she was safe. Swallowing hard Lydia could feel that bubble of worry in her stomach but she pushed it down. Betelgeuse would keep her safe.

She finished bathing and stood up reaching for the towel as she stepped out of the tub. Drying off she wrapped the towel around her and then slowly walked toward him.

“I’m ready for those clothes now B…” 

Betelgeuse was ripped out of his thoughts when he heard Lydia’s voice beside him. “Yeah… sure babes.” He waved his hand at the clothes he’d laid out on the bed. “Im going to go and see if Vanth got that message sent out. I’ll be back in a flash.” He said with a roguish grin and before he could stop himself he leaned in and kissed the top of her head before he disappeared from the room.

Lydia stood there her eyes wide in shock at the intimate gesture. She knew for sure that her face was flaming now. She couldn’t stop the fit of giggles that slipped out. She dropped the towel and started to get dressed.

* * *

Betelgeuse reappeared outside the door of their rooms and took a moment to panic at what he had done.

“What the fucking shit is wrong with you.” He rasped out to himself. “Acting like some tottering lovesick teenage fool.” He groaned and pushed away from the wall and headed for Vanth’s office. He had to get is head on straight. There was too much at stake to lose focus now.

Stepping into the office he saw that it was in much better shape than it had been the last time he’d been in there. “You send that message off?” he asked her.

Vanth nodded as she looked up from a book she had been going over. Even with her guests, she still had a job that she had to do. “I did, he sent a message back that he would fortify and secure everything and that you would be able to snap yourself and Lydia straight to his office so that you aren’t seen aby anyone” she just hoped that wasn’t something that Betel realized was only possible because of him sharing the same blood as Semyaza. The same reason that Semyaza had been able to bypass Betel’s room wards.

Betelgeuse nodded. “Good… that will make things a lot easier.” He sighed and sat down in a heap in the chair across from her. “As soon as I double check some things with Semyaza, I’ll fill you in on what we’ve figure out.”

“Thank you, it would help to know what we are dealing with.” Sighing Vanth shut the book and really looked at Betelgeuse. “You know you need to rest yourself as well… you are stretching yourself too thin again.”

Betelgeuse just shrugged his shoulders. “Can’t hardly rest right now Vanth. I will when we get back from Semyaza’s.” He promised her. He stood up and started back for the door. “Thanks for the bath idea for Lyds… shoulda thought of that myself.” He shrugged a bit with a crooked grin. “But that’s something definitely not on my mind for a good time.” he said chuckling and then headed back to his and Lydia’s room. He stopped at the door and knocked.

“You all set to go now babes?” he called out through the door.

Lydia had to laugh at the realization that Betelgeuse was making sure that she was decent before he came in. “I’m ready.” She replied, wrinkling her nose at her hair still being wet.

When Betelgeuse walked in, she waved her hand at her head. “You want to juice my hair dry?”

Betelgeuse couldn’t resist that opening as he snapped his fingers and dried Lydia’s hair and pretended to leer at her. “Anything else you want me to juice babes?” he wiggled his eyebrows at her happy to see the smile widen on her face as she laughed at him.

He held out his arm for her to loop hers through. “Ready to get this show on the road Babes?”

Lydia nodded and slipped her arm through Betelgeuse’s a rush of excitement washing over her, she was ready to see something other than these four walls.

“Its Showtime.” She laughed loudly seeing the look of shocked betrayal on his face at her taking his tag line.

They disappeared together with a pop.


	11. Chapter 11

Samael stood looking at the window of his office once again looking for the girl. He could not find her energy anywhere on the mortal plane. He was getting more and more frustrated. He should be able to find her!

He heard his door open and turned looking to see who was interrupting him.

He snarled as his anger turned to pure unadulterated hate at the state of the other archangel. “Azrael.”

Samael watched as he struggled to walk in and finally collapsed in the chair. He could see blood trickling down his neck. Walking over to him he tipped his chin up. “What is this? His voice hissed out. “You were bested again but that foul demon?”

Azrael fought to keep from flinching at Samael’s touch. “He is more powerful than we have been told Sir.”

Samael shook his head still looking at the cut on Azrael’s throat. “Tell me Azrael, how is that you have been injured so… there is no demon or mortal blade that can do this.” He said his voice held no inflection of emotion.

Azrael swallowed hard and fought to look up into Samael’s eyes. “My own blade was used against me.” He admitted ashamed.

Samael let go of his chin and stepped back toward the window. “And you were able to take it back were you not.” He asked.

“No Sir, the Demon disappeared with it before I could take it from him.” Azrael knew that this was the wrong thing to say the second that Samael appeared back in front of him with his hand wrapping around his throat. Even before he could even think of fighting back, he was dangling in the air as he fought to breathe, Samael’s crushing grip around his throat making a point of how he had messed up.

Samael snarled again his voice darkening. “You… Let… That… Demon… take… your … sword…” he growled out and threw him against the wall. He watched as the Archangel crumbled to the floor and gasped for air, his hand going to his throat. He walked over and stood over Azrael his foot coming down on his hand crushing it beneath his boot.

“Tell me Azrael, how a filthy fucking Demon could even touch your blade… what is it about him that makes him so powerful.” He ground his foot down watching as Azrael screamed out in pain.

Azrael cried out in pain, “I don’t know Sir!” he finally managed to scramble to his feet as Samael moved away from him and back to his window.

Samael glared at his second in command and shook his head. “Find out, do not come back here till you have answers.” He said and turned his back to him, his hand waving as the door flung open.

Azrael pulled himself together and hurried out of the room vowing he would find the answers he needed and kill the demon himself. 

* * *

Betelgeuse and Lydia reappeared in the front hall of an ornate building. He didn’t let go of her but kept his arm around her as he took in everything. It had been close to two hundred years since he’d last been in there… the last time being when he had slipped in to steal something. Not that he’d ever admit that to the old bastard.

Lydia kept tucked into Betelgeuse’s side feeling suddenly very vulnerable. She had no powers to protect herself like Betelgeuse did. Looking around she felt herself feeling very confused. “Why does this look like the palace in the Forbidden city in China.” She whispered her eyes taking in the colors of everything around her. It was so different from Vanth’s place.

Betelgeuse shrugged his shoulder. “Pretty sure that the Forbidden city was designed from this place.” He saw Semyaza walking toward them and he drew himself up his arm tightening around Lydia.

Semyaza walked calmly up to the two visitors and bowed slightly. “Welcome to my Sanctum.” He waved his hand out and turned. “We will talk in my study.”

Lydia kept herself close to Betelgeuse as they walked taking it all in. Would she one day be able to go to the different sanctums and see them for herself. Or would she always be someone that had to look over her shoulder at someone coming for her. She shivered slightly leaning into Betelgeuse. She knew as long as she had him by her side, she’d be safe.

Betelgeuse felt Lydia shiver and frowned snapping his fingers as he made a cloak for her and draped it around her shoulders. Probably should have thought of that before they’d left. He wasn’t sure what it felt like to her. For him, he didn’t feel the temperatures anymore. “There, that help?”

Surprised to feel the cloak around her shoulders she snuggled into it and looked up at Betelgeuse a small thankful smile slipping over her face. “Yes, much better.” She said softly just as they were led into a massive room. It looked like a library. Books from floor to ceiling. She itched to go and look at them. Instead she kept to Betelgeuse’s side and moved to the chairs that were set up near a window that overlooked a small pond and garden. She could see the sky and it took her breath away… the dark purples and pinks, merging with a dark deep orange. She wished she had her camera to take a picture.

Semyaza took the time to really look at the two as they walked in. He could see the curiosity and awe on the girls face but Betelgeuse… oh how he looked like he would kill him in an instant he felt he was a threat to his bonded. He waved his hand to the chairs and watched as they started to sit down, the girl’s attention drawn to the window outside. She really was a special one, it had been a long time since he’d seen anyone look at the innate beauty of something and appreciate it for what it is and not question the why. She reminded him of the only woman he had ever loved. Pulling his attention back to the matter at hand he cleared his throat.

“Thank you both for coming.” He snapped his fingers and a tea set appeared on the table next to them.

Betelgeuse was tired of the fake pleasantries. “What did you figure out that made you want us here old man.” He snapped out. He hated how uneasy he felt. This whole place set him on edge, it always had and he could never figure out why.

Semyaza looked at the two and leaned back in his chair and then studied the girl. Now that she was healed up more since the last time he’d seen her… he could feel it now. Oh the power she had. “You can’t tell me that you don’t feel her power Betelgeuse.” He replied curiously. “You know as well as I do, that the power she has isn’t just from the Astarte line… no, this power that is right there under her skin… its sings with strength.” He stood up and went to his desk pulling out a single piece of paper and handing it to them. “it took me a while to find it, your mother, Lydia was a very smart woman. She did all that she could to protect you.”

Lydia took the paper and started to read over it. It was a report from a watcher. She frowned not knowing what that was. The report read like a medical document, the small handwritten note at the bottom though is what stood out.

_It has been found that the mortal woman Emilia Lailah Enheduanna has given birth to a child after marrying a mortal man._

_The Archangels have deemed the girl child mortal and holding no Ethereal blood. Their reasoning being only a male child will come from an Ethereal and Mortal union._

_It has been in our own research however, that we have discovered that the mortal woman bound to High Archangel Samael was of the Astarte line ensuring the only child she would bear would be one female child._

_It has been our recommendation that the child’s identity be wiped from the records for her safety. If it is found out that she is the last in the line of Astarte and of High Ethereal blood she will be killed._

_-Sandalphon {Protector of the Unborn}_

Lydia looked back up at Semyaza, Betelgeuse was still leaning in against her chair reading over her shoulder.

“What does this mean…” she knew the answer but needed to hear it from someone other than what she and Betelgeuse had discussed… it was right there in front of her. Someone else had known that her father was Samael but had wiped it from the files to keep her safe.

Semyaza looked between the two of them and could tell that they weren’t as shocked by this as he had thought that they would be, meaning they had to have had some inkling of it as well. “It means my dear, that you will be essentially limitless in your power once you have reached your prime… if you reach it.” He said bluntly.

Betelgeuse felt a rush of anger slam into him. “You better fucking believe that she will reach her prime. She’s got me by her side and together we will knock all those fucking Arches in line.” He growled out “And that means you too old man if you even think about doing anything to hurt her.”

Semyaza held his hands up to Betelgeuse in peace. “I have told you repeatedly Betelgeuse that I have no ill will toward your bonded.”

Betelgeuse stood up and put himself in between Lydia and Semyaza. “You still haven’t told us what your angle is, why you helping her.” He snapped out. “I know you; I know you don’t do anything unless it benefits yourself.”

Lydia reached out and brushed her hand over Betelgeuse’s arm. “I think we need all the supporters we can get B… especially now.” She said softly still holding the paper in her hands. She held it up to Semyaza. “Where did you get this… who else knows of what is on this paper?”

Semyaza ignored Betelgeuse, he knew that he was worried for his bond mate. He’d learn to trust him one way or another. “I found it when I was looking through Sandalphon’s old files. He had been reassigned around the time he had done his report. I found it odd as I thought back realizing he had left shortly after you were born. Now I know why. He didn’t want anything pointing back to you.”

Betelgeuse sank back into the chair his hand reaching out for Lydia’s automatically and squeezed it gently. “Fucking rat shit is what it is, how did you know to even look for something like that.” He said his eyes narrowing in on Semyaza.

Semyaza shrugged his shoulders slightly looking over at Lydia. “Because I can smell the Ethereal blood in her, that power that she has, its unmistakable to any Fallen.”

Lydia sucked in a breath her eyes widening. “Just the Fallen, or would any Archangel be able to tell?” she asked thinking about Azrael and Daniel.

Semyaza laughed loudly. “Those fucking idiots, they couldn’t smell themselves if they were bleeding out right in front of each other… they have been too close to the mortal plane for too long.”

Lydia slumped in on herself. She wanted to leave. She wanted to go back to the safety of their room in Vanth’s sanctum. She suddenly felt too exposed. She looked anxiously at Betelgeuse and could see that he was still having a stare down with Semyaza. “B…. I wanna go.” She whispered. It was too much. 

Betelgeuse nodded and stood up. “Make sure that no one ever finds out about that paper.” He said and turned back to Lydia. “Let’s go babes…”

He held his hand out for Lydia and then turned back to Semyaza. “How safe is she at Vanth’s?”

Semyaza sighed and clenched his jaw slightly. “As safe as she would be anywhere else, as long as you keep those wards up you put up then you’ll keep em all out.” He waved his hand around. “Same thing here. If you ever find yourself in a hard spot, bring her here.”

Betelgeuse frowned slightly at this and pushed it away, he’d figure it out later. “Alright, let’s get back Lyds” He whispered and reached for her tucking her into his arms securely.

Lydia swallowed hard and nodded letting her head rest under Betelgeuse’s chin and closed her eyes. She heard him snap his fingers and when she opened her eyes again, they were back in their room in Vanth’s sanctum. She knew she should pull back, but she stayed there in his arms, she was so overwhelmed that all she could think about was how as long as she had Betelgeuse, she would be safe.

Betelgeuse kept his arms around Lydia as they stood there in the middle of the room. He needed to go and tell Vanth what had happened. And then he needed to figure out what cryptic bullshit Semyaza was hinting at. But for now, he would stay there and just hold her, as long as she would let him.

“I promised you that nothing would hurt you while I was around… I meant it babes.” He whispered against the top of her head. He slowly started to rub his hand up and down her back just trying to help her feel better.

Lydia closed her eyes at the touch. She shouldn’t feel this comfortable in his arms like this, it was wrong. He was hundreds of years older than her…. And dead. But there was something there, had always been there. From the time that they had been bonded and she had been forced to forget him, there had been something missing. She had felt it every day, knew that something in her was wrong. She had just pushed it away thinking it was just her being a silly depressed teenager. Not realizing that she truly had been missing a piece of herself.

Now that piece was no longer missing, and she felt whole. 

“What does this mean for you… your bond to me and all that.” She asked.

Betelgeuse hadn’t even begun to think about how this would settle in his own powers. “I don’t know.” He admitted quietly. It was daunting to think about.

He let his chin rest on the top of her head. “Guess we’ll figure that out one step at a time huh.”

There was a knock on the door and he reluctantly let go of Lydia pulling back so that he could answer the door.

“Why don’t you get yourself comfortable in your chair and I’ll be back in a few.” He said knowing how much she liked to curl up in the chair by the fire and read over the books that Vanth had found for her. He brushed her face gently with his fingers, tucking back a stray bit of hair before he turned and went to the door.

He opened it and saw Vanth standing there and he waved toward her office. “Let’s go and chat…” he had promised her that he would tell her whatever they had found out.


	12. Chapter 12

Betelgeuse followed Vanth silently to her office and found himself sinking into her chair across from her desk once again. He dropped his head into his hand and rubbed his forehead tiredly. Looking up at her he could see the questions in her eyes.

“I don’t even know where to begin.” He admitted quietly.

Vanth nodded and looked at Betelgeuse carefully. He was changing. Faster than she had thought he would. It was starting to become readily apparent that his father was Semyaza. So many similar features. She guessed that it was a good thing that there were no mirrors around. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the bond with Lydia and her own living energy that she was sharing with Betel, or if it was because of his own powers shifting to accommodate the bond, making him more Fallen than Demon. 

  
“You know the beginning is always a good place to start.”

“Semyaza was vague and cryptic as usual.” He said looking up at the ceiling. “But he found something that seems to explain a lot.” He sighed and looked back down at Vanth. “The question is, do you want to risk your eternity knowing the truth?” he asked seriously knowing that Vanth was a force to be reckoned with, but she also was bound to her sanctum. Giving her a weakness that was easily exploited.

Vanth had known that Semyaza would continue to drag Betelgeuse around till he got it himself. She leaned forward and laid her hands on the top of her desk. “I want to know, if I am going to be able to continue protecting you and her, I need to know what I am up against, and who knows maybe I’ll be able to help more.”

“Samael is her father.”

“Hades help us all.” She whispered softly and stood up swiftly going to her bookshelves. “And I suppose that he doesn’t know?” She needed to know all she could on past children of the archangels, what they could do.

Betelgeuse shook his head. “No, thankfully… but it won’t be long, and it will be real fucking apparent, stupid pricks.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Semyaza found a file that had been hidden by Sandalphon. His resignation was right after Lydia’s birth. They concealed their findings about her and then deleted her files…. Just a handwritten note was all that was left. Probably left there accidently.” He said even though he really didn’t believe it. He had a feeling that had been left there purposefully for either someone else to find or for Sandalphon to come back to and retrieve when Lydia turned 18. He wondered if they would be getting a visit from him in the future.

Vanth shook her head and continued to look through the books for anything that might help. She glanced over at Betelgeuse and realized that he was far away in his own thoughts. “I got word that Azrael is looking for you again, he’s going to anyone and every thing that will turn on your ass.”

Betelgeuse snorted and shook his head. “Let them try, they ain’t getting passed yours and my wards Vanny.” He grinned and then stopped as something he had been thinking about in the back of his head came to the forefront like a raging bull. The smile fell from his face and he leaned in his hands gripping the sides of the desk as he tried to quell the rage that was simmering through him.

He stood up abruptly knocking his chair to the floor as he started to pace. His hands in his hair as he pulled at it whispering to himself. “Fucking shit.. no, no no… I would have known… right?” He muttered to himself.

Vanth was pulled out of her own search hearing the bang of the chair hitting the ground and looked up seeing Betelgeuse pacing and muttering. “What’s wrong?” she asked alarmed.

Betelgeuse looked up at Vanth, still stunned as it all started to make sense. Why he was so different from the other demons, his powers, every time he had come across Semyaza. “That fucking rat shit bastard.” He growled out. This was the absolute last thing that he needed to deal with. But this... this was huge, he had no idea what this meant for him and Lydia now. He waved his hand violently righting the chair and sat back down his head in his hands.

The only reason that he had been able to get into his and Lydia’s room around his wards was because of the familial connection. Their energy almost the same. He scrubbed his hands over his face as he thought back to when he had told them today that if he ever needed to get Lydia to safety to bring her to his sanctum… and he could with out having to worry about getting tossed out of the wards.

The bastard knew, probably had known his whole life and fucking afterlife.

“I don’t have time for this.” He growled out trying to get himself back on track.

Vanth watched as Betelgeuse struggled with something and she had sinking feeling that he had just figured out the truth. She moved over and rested her hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on Betel?” she asked knowing that it was better for him to tell her than for her to admit to him that she had known. He had enough of that.

Betelgeuse laughed darkly. “Welp, been wondering for years who my pops was…. And what do you know, the bastard asshole has been here the whole time! And the winner is…. Ding ding ding… Semyaza!” he growled out his name. 

“This is the absolute last thing that I needed Vanny, I just need to concentrate on how to keep my Lyds safe and watch her become a bad ass.” He shook his head. “But now, what is this going to do. Is this why I’m changing, why my powers are changing.” He looked at her seriously. “You don’t have to tell me to go and find a mirror to know I’m not lookin’ the same anymore. I can feel it…. Feel things! Smell things too! Thought that it was just my ol’ brain being imaginative. But that night you helped Lydia with the bath, the smell… “He closed his eyes remembering the heady scent of vanilla and a darker deeper something that had he let it, it would have drove him to a frenzy.

He opened his eyes looking at Vanth. “I could smell it, for the first time since I could remember.” He shook his head. “Demons... they don’t get to do that Vanny, even when their bonded is a fucking awakening Necromancer…. So, what the hell am I?”

Semyaza stepped out of the shadows and looked at his son. “There are many names for what you are, Mazoku… Hanyou from the Japanese.” He stepped closer. “Yaksha from the Hindu…” He watched carefully as he stepped in front of Betelgeuse and looked down at him. “You would recognize the Abrahamic word more so….Nephilium or Nephalum.”

Betelgeuse lunged up pinning Semyaza to the desk behind him. “Bullshit! That is fucking Bullshit… only demons are born from Fallen and humans… not a Nephilium” he spat out furious at the Fallen standing there in his space, daring him to not react to such horseshit.

Semyaza didn’t move, his gaze staying on Betelgeuse. “You are a Nephilium. From the day that you were born and were laid in your mothers arms you were special. She knew it and I knew it.” He said steadily. “I was forbidden from telling you. From blatantly helping you. It is forbidden for a fallen to fall in love with a mortal woman. Or to even care for a child they create together.” He said softly, his voice full of the pain that he had held for hundreds of years. “Because when it happens… they can’t control them. You my son. Are more powerful than you can even imagine. And it terrifies them.” 

He watched as Betelgeuse started to make the connections between what he was telling him and knowing the truth.

  
“And now that your bondmate is a Necromancer with Ethereal blood coursing through her? You two have already caused rules that have been in place for millennia to come crumbling down. I couldn’t be here talking to you about it otherwise, and _That_ is why the Archs have been trying so hard to stop your bondmate from awakening, they can feel that they are going to lose power over the mortal plane.”

Betelgeuse was quiet for the longest time simply staring at the Fallen. “What does this mean for Lydia and I… that is all I am worried about at this very moment… everything else can just fucking wait.” He pushed away from Semyaza and started to pace. “I need to think… just… don’t fucking go anywhere.” He said and then without another word stormed out of the office and headed back to his and Lydia’s room. He tried to push his anger and pain and frustration away not wanting it to affect her.

He slipped silently into the room and stood there for the longest time just watching her. She was curled up in her new favorite place, the comfy chair, as she had deemed it with a book in hand and a blanket around her legs.

She looked… perfect. He’d tried hard not to dwell on how attractive she was to him. She had grown up and for as much as she protested that she wasn’t pretty… or that she was just plane Lydia. Betelgeuse could argue that she was the most beautiful woman on the three planes. He watched as she bit her bottom lip worrying it between her teeth as she concentrated on the book. He knew that whatever it was she was reading had her full attention. He glanced around and could see that there wasn’t any dinner trays out yet so he snapped his fingers and procured one of her favorite dishes and slowly carried it over to her. “Hey babes… think you should take some time to eat?” he sat it down on the serving table beside her.

Lydia looked up at Betelgeuse, blinking her eyes a couple times to get the blurriness to fade from straining her eyes with the old print. “I didn’t even hear you come in.” she said sitting up slightly and closed the book. She looked at the tray and smiled softly seeing that it was her favorite Chinese take out from the small corner shop in New York. “How did your talk with Vanth go?” she asked hoping that the Demoness wasn’t going to kick them out and they’d be on their own.

Betelgeuse sat down next to Lydia and lifted her feet letting them rest over his lap. “Well, things got a little interesting.” He said slowly. He was still processing what he’d been told. It was hard to ignore the facts when it was now so blatantly in his face.

“Seems you aren’t the only special one with a father that’s got ethereal blood.”

Lydia frowned slightly and took a bite of her food. “What do you mean… I didn’t think that you knew who your father was?”

Betelgeuse shrugged his shoulders. “Shoulda guessed it to be honest… it was right there in my fucking face for who the fuck knows how long.” He sighed and looked at the pattern on the blanket. “The fact that he was able to come into this room through my wards should have set me off to start.” He said looking up at Lydia.

“But that’s not the kicker… dear old dad showed up a few minutes ago after I figured that shit out and I was having a bit of an identity crisis you know?” he scratched his head and frowned again. “Always knew I was one powerful fucking demon right, more than any other demons. That’s how I made a name for myself. Ghost with the most and all that shit.” 

“Only thing is… I’m not no demon.”

Lydia reached out for Betelgeuse’s hand and squeezed it tight, just as he had done for her when they had found out with certainty that Samael was her father.

“How? I thought that as long as a Fallen has a child with a mortal they will become demons upon their death.” She said quoting the book she had read.

Betelgeuse shrugged slightly. “There should be a little exception to that rule in the book… but there isn’t. The thing is… my dear old dad… loved my mortal mother, and evidently cared or loved me enough that I got to bypass the whole demon bit and got promoted to a Nephilium.” He frowned as he said it. It still didn’t feel real. He felt like a part of him had been nothing but a lie.

Lydia knew enough about demons and angels, archangels and fallen now that hearing this made her set her food down and she moved to carefully hug Betelgeuse. “It doesn’t change who you are Bee… you are still the Ghost with the Most… now you just know why you are supremely powerful.” She teased lightly not wanting him to dwell on this. “You’re still my Betelgeuse.” She whispered. “Nothing will change that.”

Betelgeuse sank into her embrace and buried his face into her neck. He could smell her… she still smelled like that damnable bubble bath. But under that was something that was so unique, so subtle that he knew that it was just her.

It was… addictive.

He wrapped his arms around her and shifted her so that she was sitting across his lap.

For the first time in days, Betelgeuse was still and quiet.


	13. Chapter 13

Azrael slipped into the darkened alleyway pulling his cloak around his face more. He absolutely could not be seen and recognized. He was already trespassing in the underworld no sense in making it more difficult for him then it already was. He brushed his fingers over the wound on his neck still not healing as fast as it should. He stopped outside a small nearly invisible door and knocked on it three times before he stepped back and waited.

The door creaked open and Azrael was beckoned in by a black gnarled hand slipping out of the darkness.

Azrael disappeared into the darkness his revenge close enough he could taste it.

* * *

Betelgeuse glanced over at the bed for at least the hundredth time since Lydia had fallen asleep. His mind was still circling over and over with everything, still trying to make sense of it all.

He dropped his head into his hand staring into the fire. Lifting his hand, he looked at it, he carefully formed a ball of energy and just watched as it floated in his hand. All these years, he’d thought he was a Demon. Everyone had told him he was a Demon. 

But they were all wrong.

And now, he could see the differences. His energy when he formed it like this, the rawness of it was a dark emerald green, but if he looked in close enough to it, the flecks of gold sparkled through it.

Demon’s when they harnessed their energy like this. It was black or red. But he’d never questioned it.

Just thought that he was special, stronger and better than all the rest.

He closed his fist around the ball, and it disappeared. 

Betelgeuse stood up and started to pace. They had two days till Lydia’s birthday. Two days to keep her out of the Archangels grasp.

But at the same time, he wanted to do something special for her for her birthday. It wasn’t fair that she had turned one prison in for another.

He could do it though, he could keep her safe. Take her anywhere she wanted to go. Buy her anything she wanted.

His thoughts were interrupted when a note flashed into his hand, he recognized the handwriting instantly as Vanth’s.

_Azrael has been seen entering one of your old bolt holes, Valhalla in Cockaigne._

_I’m sending Charun with you._

Betelgeuse clenched his jaw and knew that this wasn’t going to end well. If he was looking for someone to go against him, going to Cockaigne was the place to go. It had been years since he’d been to that side of the underworld, it was known as the darker and seedier side, the one place you could go to get anything you wanted. He’d made enough enemies there with a lot of the bar owners. He’d done a lot of shitty things in his years. He’d admit to that.

He moved over to the bed and knelt down quietly. Brushing his fingertips gently over Lydia’s cheek he whispered softly to her. “Hey babes… need ya to wake up for a minute.”

Lydia stretched like a cat her hands moving slowly above her head as she moved and blinked her eyes open. She saw Betelgeuse kneeling next to her and reached out brushing her fingers over his cheek gently just to be sure that he was really there and it wasn’t a dream. “What’s wrong.” She whispered seeing the look on his face.

Betelgeuse shouldn’t be surprised that she saw right through him. “Have to go and check something out, I’ll be back in a flash.” He said with an assured grin. “And, have to make a stop and get your birthday present.” He wiggled his eyebrows up at her and stood up. “You try and get back to sleep, if you need anything you know Vanth’s in her office.”

Lydia felt a wash of apprehension slam into her. She sat up quickly and swung her legs over the side of the bed to get to Betelgeuse before he snapped himself away. “Wait!” she whispered and wrapped her arms around him hugging him hard as she buried her face into his chest.

“Something’s wrong B… I can feel it…” even her dreams moments before had been unsettled, and now she knew why.

Betelgeuse cupped Lydia’s face in his hands and looked down at her. “I promise ya babes… I’ll be fine. No one is gonna get one up on ol Betelgeuse.” He reassured her. “And Charun is going with me… so I won’t be alone ok.” He could feel the tension winding up in her and he reached up brushing her hair out of her face. “I’ll wake you up as soon as I get back.”

Lydia bit back the words that wanted to slip out, begging him to stay because she just had a feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong. Instead she nodded her head and stepped back toward her bed. “Be safe B… please.”

Betelgeuse saluted her. “You got it babes. I’ll be back before you know it.” He grinned and with a snap disappeared. He reappeared next to the bridge where he knew that Charun would be. “Vanny said you were going to come with me?”

Charun nodded. “Someone has to make sure you don’t mess up.” He quirked a smile, his black beard twitching with mirth.

Betelgeuse snorted and bowed at the demon. “After you, supposedly the fucker is in Valhalla in Cockaigne… how do we know he didn’t go there to lick his wounds after I roughed him up last time.” He knew for a fact there were enough shady demons and underworlders that would do just that for him. He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Charun sighed and disappeared. He wasn’t sure this wasn’t a fools errand either to be honest. He waited for Betelgeuse to appear next to him and they started down a dark walkway that would lead to the center of the establishments there in Cockaigne. He kept his hammer at his side making sure that he didn’t get taken by surprise. 

Betelgeuse could feel the hair on the back of his neck rise as he started to walk next to Charun. He leaned in whispering to the demon. “We are being followed already.” He could see shadows around them but most of them were just other demons and underworlders going about their own business.

They walked past an alleyway and he felt something slam into him. A surge of energy nearly made him black out, he stumbled forward till he hit the ground.

He couldn’t get a sound out to warn Charun.

He felt the energy surge through him again, electrifying him in a way that he hadn’t felt pain ever before.

He tried to roll over to face his attacker when he was suddenly ripped up into the air.

He looked down seeing Azrael holding something in his hands, the energy crackling off it was a sickly gray that made him want to throw up.

He could see Charun pinned to the wall by several other demons, fighting them with all his worth to get away.

“Come on you fucker, can’t fight on your own, have to come up with cheap party tricks.” He fought back the groan of pain that was wracking his body. He concentrated all he had to get out from under this strange energy. It wasn’t energy of the Archangels, that was for damn sure.

Azrael sneered. “And give you a chance to do something back to me? Tut, tut Betelgeuse. I don’t make mistakes twice.” He growled and slammed Betelgeuse into the wall knocking the bricks lose from how hard he hit.

Betelgeuse felt the anger surge through him as blood trickled down the side of his head. “Oh, you’ve done it now you feather fucker.” He growled out and with all his strength he pulled his energy forward arching out of his hands he watched as it slammed into Azrael. “Eat that you shit for brains.”

He slumped forward and with a wave of his hands he threw the demons pinning Charun away from him. He could barely concentrate on what he was doing but pushed himself up and walked toward Azrael. 

Leaning down looking at him he spat at him.

“You think that you can trick me at my own fucking game.” He growled. “I have killed more than you could imagine, made them bleed in the most imaginative ways and you just can’t seem to get enough of me that you seek me out.”

His voice hissed through his teeth. This had to stop. He turned slightly toward Charun. “Gimme the rope.”

Turning back toward the Archangel on the ground he shook his head. “Don’t think you are going to be able to slip out of this one either, made sure I had someone on hand just for you.” He grinned maliciously and looped the rope around one of his hands and then it all went wrong.

Azrael lunged up and a small dagger appeared in his hand, he sank it into Betelgeuse’s side wedging it between his ribs.

He was quickly pinned again by Charun, the rope tied around him immobilizing him instantly.

Betelgeuse stumbled back fighting to get the dagger out of his side, but he couldn’t, there was a strange warmth that started to pulse through him, the pain was coming in waves that was near unimaginable.

He did the only thing that he could.

He screamed.

And the world went dark.

* * *

The next time that Betelgeuse became aware of his surroundings it was quiet, he started to open his eyes slowly and grimaced at the pain that lanced through his head. Groaning he covered his hand over his eyes.

He could hear everything that was going on around him, the sounds of a fireplace… the creak of a chair. The rustle of pages of a book being turned. It was too loud.

Something wasn’t right.

And then he smelled it, a gentle waft of vanilla and that deeper darker scent that was purely Lydia.

She was there, his Lydia.

He forced himself to open his eyes and squinted through the pain. He realized that it was dark in the room, but the room itself was new. He glanced down and saw Lydia curled up half on a chair and half on the bed he was laying on, her hand gripping the blanket that was draped over him.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eyes and realized who it was.

His father.

Semyaza had been studying the dagger that had nearly killed Betelgeuse when he heard a soft moan. He glanced up and saw his son struggling to wake up. That was good sign at least.

He walked over to him slowly and was quiet enough to not wake his bonded. He brought with him a blanket and draped it over her shoulders to keep her warm. “Just rest. Azrael nearly killed you, if it hadn’t been for Lydia pushing as much of her energy into you as she could when Charun brought you back you wouldn’t have made it.” 

Betelgeuse closed his eyes again. He felt incredibly different. “How… is that possible.” He rasped out, his voice sounding like sandpaper and entirely too loud in his own ears.

Semyaza shook his head. “Something that was on the dagger, or the dagger itself was cursed. I’m not sure yet. I’ve been studying it since we took it out of your ribs.” He lifted the blanket to show where they had to bandage him up.

Betelgeuse was more than confused as he reached down and touched the bandage, a flash of pain washed through him and he flinched. “How… how am I… I can feel this pain…” he looked up at Semyaza. “Everything is too much.” 

Semyaza covered him back up and then stepped back slightly. “Your body is accepting the living energy from your bonded. It’s changing you; you knew it would happen, and you know why it has to happen this way.” He said glancing down at the dark-haired girl.

“It is also stabilizing your energy. Nephilim’s energy is chaotic, unstable… unless they are bonded.” he glanced up at Betelgeuse. “Whether you believe it or not, the two of you were destined to be bonded.” He started back toward his desk.

“Get some rest.”

Betelgeuse was still trying to absorb what Semyaza had just said when something occurred to him.

“What happened to Azrael?”

It was then, that for the first time that Betelgeuse saw a look in Semyaza’s eyes that he knew exactly where he had gotten his sadistic side from.

“Oh, he won’t be going anywhere, and he won’t be bothering you or your bonded again… don’t you worry about that.” And then turned his back and went to his desk.


	14. Chapter 14

Lydia was woken slowly by someone shaking her gently on the shoulder. Blinking wearily, she looked up seeing that Semyaza was holding a steaming hot cup of tea out for her.  
  


“Come, he is fine, just resting and healing… you as well need to keep your strength up.” He said gently as she stood up and stretched. With one last look down at Betelgeuse she gently touched his forehead and was amazed still the difference she could feel.

Nodding with a resigned sigh Lydia followed Semyaza over to the door of the patio that led to the garden. She’d been out there twice now since Charun had gotten her and brought her to Betelgeuse.

She sighed finally accepting the cup of tea and sipped it slowly enjoying the hot soothing liquid, it was so subtly spiced in a way that the flavor exploded on her tongue. “I may have to steal some of your tea, this is amazing.” She said softly breaking the silence.

Semyaza laughed softly and conjured up his own cup before sitting on the bench facing the garden. He could smell the heavy fragrance of the flowers that were in full bloom, his beautiful night flowers. “You are more than welcomed to it.” He replied with a quirk of a smile still on his face. He let out a soft sigh and could see the look of worry flitting over Lydia’s face.  
“You know he will be fine…” He said as he sipped his tea.

Lydia looked over at Semyaza and nodded absently. “I think I know that rationally, but everything else has been so crazy and sometimes It makes me wonder if I’m not still stuck in that hospital and all of this is a dream.” She whispered, the ache in her throat making it hard to say anything more.

Semyaza could see that in her eyes. What she had been through was enough to drive any mortal to insanity, the fact that she had held strong through it all showed exactly what her character was. She was a mirror image to Betelgeuse in a way. He knew that they would be fine.

“It does seem that you have been through more than any person could hope to live through, but you have, and you have grown stronger for that. Especially knowing what is coming.”

Lydia swallowed hard around the lump in her throat trying to pull herself together. There was still so much that she didn’t know, had questions to. “Will you answer my questions?”

Semyaza nodded as he shifted slightly on the bench, relaxing more as he watched the way the night sky shifted from deep dark purples to the inky blackness of the abyss. “Of course, I will endeavor to answer them as well as I can. Unless it is something that I feel that someone else would be better to ask.”

Lydia nodded and turned a bit so that she was facing Semyaza. “What is happening… with B… I know that he told me that he would change… but this.” She glanced back into the room where Betelgeuse was still completely asleep on the makeshift bed. “This is a lot more than just a little bit of a change.” She said softly not wanting to admit that she liked the changes. She didn’t want Betelgeuse to feel that her feelings toward him were changing because he was. They had always been there; she’d just been too young and inexperienced to understand them.

Semyaza sighed and ran his hand over his chin as he thought about how to answer this. “He is changing more now because of his bloodline. With your life energy merging with his Nephilim energy it is providing his body with the needed changes that will make him more compatible with you and be able to pass on your bloodline.” He said delicately.

It finally dawned on Lydia what Semyaza was talking about and her face flushed hotly. “Oh…” she whispered. Her hand tightened on the cup and she looked up at him. “But he looks so much more human…” She whispered worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, a nervous habit she had never been able to break.

Semyaza smiled and shook his head. “No, he looks more as he should, as a Nephilim. In a way, his belief that he was a demon and how he felt about himself skewed his powers enough that he took on the more chaotic aspects of his bloodline, but now… this is how he would have looked had he been able to come to me when he first came to the Underworld.”

Lydia was shocked at that. She wondered what Betelgeuse would say when he realized what he looked like. She was still trying not to think of the exact reasoning why he was changing. She wanted to laugh at the thought that came through her mind, about how no woman could change a man… well she managed to do it just as easily.

She finished her tea and looked out at the flowers in the garden. “How is it that the underworld looks… so much like some place on Earth… well on my part of the world.” She asked.

Semyaza nodded and stood up. “Come here and I’ll show you.” He said leading her back into the room from the patio and to his desk. He picked up a pencil and a piece of paper and drew three flat circles, one above the next. He wrote ‘mortal plane’ on the middle, the top he wrote ‘empyrean’ and the bottom he wrote ‘underworld’ and then looked at Lydia to be sure that she followed what he was saying.

“Now… think of it as each of these planes are shadows of the other. Mirror images at times or completely different at others. There are specific places all around all three of the planes that have doorways or openings to the others. There are towns and cities, and shops and everything that you can think of that the mortal plane has, the other two have it as well.” He looked at Lydia knowing that this was the pivotal part that she had to understand. “The Empyrean plane and the Underworld plane are dependent on the Mortal plane for stability. If that stability becomes fractured, then each of the planes will begin to descend into chaos. It has happened before, usually in your plane it will come across as a mass extinction…”

He took a breath and looked at Lydia. “There are sanctums across the planes that connect to each other. Those sanctums, like this one here and Vanth’s sanctum are anchor points that must be cared for by those chosen guardians.”

Lydia listened carefully as so many questions started to run through her mind. One stood out for her as she glanced up looking at a marker map of so many mythological places. “Those places, the sanctums…” She said pointing at the marker map. “That’s what those are then?”

Semyaza nodded. “Yes.” He moved to sit back in his chair at the desk and looked up at Lydia. “The thing that you need to be made aware of before tomorrow when your birthright is awakened is that your line had been chosen from the beginning to be a guardian…. One that would be a middle ground for all three planes.”

He held up a small map of a dot in New York City. “The Archangels did not like that they would have to answer to someone and spent the better part of the last few centuries making sure that none of your line would live to the point of your powers being awakened and the guardianship being granted.”

Lydia frowned slightly. “I don’t understand… my mother, she was in her thirties when she was killed by Azrael… she wasn’t a guardian and she didn’t have powers like you say she would have.” She would have known.

Semyaza drew in a slow breath and felt the weight of what he was about to tell the girl. “Your mother before she turned 18 had been charmed by Samael… he knew who she was, what her line was capable of and he sought to control it. He felt that would be the best way to keep control of the Empyrean. It was easier to charm and woo her into a false sense of safety then to try and out right kill her. Because she could see him for what he truly was. She was betrayed in a way that was worse than killing her. He bound her powers and erased her memory of them. But not enough that she wasn’t aware of him holding something back from her. She escaped the first chance she had… when she realized she was pregnant with you. She found a man in the mortal realm that would give her everything that she needed and the two of them were quickly married. That man was who you believed to be your father.”

Lydia had sat there listening not realizing that she had started to cry, the tears slipping silently down her cheeks as she thought of the loss and betrayal her mother must have felt. And how brave she was for what she had done to keep her safe. She wiped at her eyes brushing away the tears and looked at Semyaza. “How did you find that out.” She asked her voice was rough from the tears.

Semyaza picked up a letter that was addressed to Lydia. “When I realized that it was Sandalphon that had hidden your files and kept you safe I went to speak with him. He had much more to tell me than what that slip of paper had said.” He handed her the unopened letter. “He wishes to meet with you, if you’ll let him. He was the one that helped your mother escape Samael. There is a faction of Archangels that do not agree with Samael and how he has been running things. You will find that they will be on your side.”

Lydia glanced at Betelgeuse still sleeping away and wanted nothing more than go back over to him, just to make sure that he was really ok. Her mind still trying go through everything that Semyaza was telling her. She wiped her cheeks again and drew in a shaky breath. “How long will I have before I have to take up the guardianship.” She wished she knew more about it. Would she be stuck like Vanth?

“You’ll start learning all that it entails when your awakened powers are settled.” He said and watched knowing he had put a lot on her, But this was stuff that she needed to know. “The sanctum… your sanctum will be in New York City, your duties are what will keep you busy, but not so much that you won’t have a life.” He assured her. “When you have a chance to talk with Sandalphon, he will be able to tell you more about what all those duties entail.” 

He stopped speaking when he heard Betelgeuse shift slightly. He watched as Lydia sat down the cup and rushed to his side. He stood up and slipped back out to the patio, giving them some space to themselves. The rest of what he needed to tell her could wait.

* * *

Betelgeuse could feel himself starting to wake up and it was an odd feeling. He felt things that he hadn’t been aware of before, or at least for as long as he could remember. The scratchiness of the blanket he was covered up in, the lumpiness of the pillow under his head. He rolled slightly to the side and bit back a moan of pain as it flashed through him, Yeah, he definitely wasn’t used to feeling pain from an injury. Usually he’d be able to use his juice to heal himself. Just as he had healed Lydia when he had first busted her out of the hospital. 

He could feel so much, it was overwhelming. He felt someone at his side and knew instantly it was Lydia. He reached blindly out for her hand and found it slipping into his. She was so warm, her skin like soft silk. “Lyds?” he whispered out his mouth dry.

“What th’ fuckn’ hell is wrong wit me.” He slurred as he cracked his eyes open and looked at Lydia.

Lydia smiled and brushed her hand over his cheek. “You are lucky you are hurt Betelgeuse or I’d be smacking the shit out of you.” She narrowed her eyes as she could see that he was listening now. “Next time I tell you not to go somewhere because I have a bad feeling about it, you don’t fucking go!” she couldn’t hit him to get the point across so she did the next best thing, she flicked his arm. “Do you understand me!”

Betelgeuse couldn’t stop the smile from slipping out over his face and he reached out and held onto Lydia’s hand squeezing it lightly in reassurance that he was ok. “Yes dear.” There was that firecracker, his firecracker that he had been missing since he’d rescued her.

He watched her as she picked up a mirror and held it out for him to take. He frowned. “ Lyds… that’s not going to work for me, you know that.” He said not sure what she was playing at.

Lydia shook her head and nudged him. “Just do it.”

Rolling his eyes Betelgeuse carefully propped himself up on his elbow and lifted the mirror… and nearly dropped it. His eyes widened. “What the fucking shit is this babes.” He said trying to sound normal, the tremor in his voice giving away how much this was affecting him.

Lydia sighed softly watching him look at himself in the mirror for probably the first time in hundreds of years. “You aren’t a demon… and you know that now, this is you. Who you truly are.” She said softly, a soft tinge of pink still filling her cheeks.

Betelgeuse put the mirror down and looked down at his hands noticing now that his claws looked more… human like than ever before. “I don’t understand, I knew that I was gonna change cause of this between us, but fucking shit babes, I look human?”

Semyaza’s voice filtered in from outside. “Not human Betelgeuse, Nephilim.”

Betelgeuse snorted and shook his head. “Typical parent, butting into a conversation.” He was still trying to work on that whole aspect.

Lydia looked at Betelgeuse and worried her bottom lip. “You are changing because as my bonded, you have to be more… compatible.” She flushed hotly having remembered exactly what Semyaza had told her.

Betelgeuse raised an eyebrow watching Lydia blush. It was… adorable to see her get flustered. “I did understand that there love.” He said softly. “Kinda knew about that from the beginning once I realized that we were bonded.”

Lydia’s face was still red as she hit Betelgeuse’s arm lightly. “Asshole.” She muttered.

Betelgeuse grinned unrepented and moved to his back again with a grimace. “You wanna do the whole wifely duty and check on your poor wounded husband.” He pretended to pout not wanting her to dwell on something they had a long time to deal with.

Lydia arched her eyebrows at him. “What am I supposed to do… do I look like a doctor?”

Betelgeuse watched her as she started to undo the bandage. She was smiling as she snarked at him so evidently it was ok to call her his wife.

Lydia rolled her eyes at him and looked over the stab wound… it looked better. “Well, it looks better than it did, so whatever Semyaza put on it seems to have done what its supposed to do.” She covered it back up and looked at her empty cup of tea and wished for more but instead she raised her hand to cover a yawn.

Betelgeuse shook his head and reached out tugging her gently toward him. “Come on, lay down with me and try and get some sleep… you need it. Big day tomorrow.” He smiled as she stretched out beside him and he lifted the blankets to cover her up.

Lydia was exhausted she realized as it hit her once she was stretched out. Her head was pillowed on the unwounded side of Betelgeuse’s shoulder. “Yeah, you did it B…” she whispered and let her eyes close.

Betelgeuse brushed his fingers over her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear. Brushing a tender kiss to her temple he whispered. “I promised you didn’t I.” he said and just held her. As long as she was in his arms, she was safe.

* * *

Samael sat at his desk, his fingers drumming on the smooth granite surface, the only sound in his entire office even though there were several archangels standing in front of his desk.

“You mean to tell me, that Azrael has once again failed, gotten himself captured and none of you have thought to tell me before now!”

Every single one of the archangels flinched at his bellow.

He stood up stalked up to Gabriel. “You are to send a contingent to retrieve him. You will not like what happens if you fail me.” He waved his hand clearing his desk and turned back to his monitors.

“Tomorrow is her birthday, she will awaken and when she steps foot in her new sanctum, I will be there waiting. There will be no second chances this time, no mistakes.” He growled out getting more and more out of control as he spoke.

“I will not lose!” the ground trembled beneath him as he waved toward the door.

“GET OUT!” he screamed and watched as the archangels scrambled to get out the door and away from him.

* * *

Raphael quickly wrote out a small note on a slip of paper, he didn’t have a lot of time.

**_Barachiel-_ **

**_He moves tomorrow to the sanctum in hopes to intercept the chosen guardian. Send warning now._ **

**_-Raphael_ **


	15. Chapter 15

It started a little after midnight, Betelgeuse had felt how incredibly hot Lydia became and he jerked awake. Pulling back gently from her he could see that she was flushed, and the beads of sweat were beginning to form on her forehead. He conjured up a wet rag and brushed it gently over her face to help cool her down. He knew that this was just the start… but even he wasn’t sure what that would mean for her.

He spent the next few hours just concentrating on keeping Lydia cool. He’d been zapped several times by her powers manifesting. Had she been conscious through it, he’d have found it more humorous, now he just wished that she would open those beautiful brown eyes.

The time seemed to tick away, the night giving way to the cool morning grey, the light filtering in through the windows. Betelgeuse looked up seeing Semyaza walking in with a tray of food and tea for Lydia.

“Has she woken up yet” Semyaza asked keeping his voice down.

“No, not yet… but she’s not burning up anymore and I haven’t gotten zapped in the last two hours so I’m taking that as a good sign.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s gonna want a bath. Probably before she wants that.” He said motioning toward the tray.

Semyaza nodded and motioned toward the door to the right of the patio door. “I’ll get it set up for her, wake her up so she can get moving around. See how she feels.” He sat the tray down and moved toward the small bathing room.

Betelgeuse rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. He was still getting used to the change in his own powers, and the way that his body used up energy. He leaned in pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Lydia’s head and brushed his fingers over her cheek gently.

“Hey sleepy head, there is a nice hot bath ready for you.” He whispered.

Lydia could hear Betelgeuse’s voice pulling her from her lull of sleep. She groaned and rolled into his more burrowing into his chest as she shook her head. “no.” she whispered. She was still so tired, her body felt like she’d run a marathon and all she wanted to do was sleep and not think of why she was feeling the way she was at the moment. If she was being honest with herself, she’d have admitted it was because she was scared.

Betelgeuse chuckled softly wrapping his arms around her. “I know, but you will feel better I promise.” He whispered.

She really didn’t want to move and tried to burrow into his chest more. “Carry me, don’t make me move.” Her voice was muffled in his shirt.

Betelgeuse wasn’t going to lie; he was enjoying a clingy Lydia. He stood up and carefully scooped her up into his arms carrying her to the washroom. He pushed the door open with his foot and was happy to see that all the amenities were there laid out for her as well as a clean robe and a towel that she could lose herself in. The water was hot and still had steam coming off of it, the smell of lavender and vanilla filled the room. He sat her down on the cushioned stool next to the tub.

“Alright, I’ve done my part. You good to get yourself in there babes?”

Lydia finally lifted her head, her eyes blinking open as she took it all in. She smiled softly reaching out to brush her fingers over the soft towel and robe. Looking up at Betelgeuse she could feel the flush in her face.

“Yeah, I think so… just stay close in case I need you?”

Betelgeuse leaned in and kissed the top of Lydia’s head and whispered softly to her.

“Happy Birthday love.”

And slipped out of the washroom to give her the privacy she wanted. He headed for Semyaza’s office to find out if he had gotten any news yet. He’d be able to hear her if she needed him. He wasn’t in there for more than five minutes when they both heard a banging from the front entry way.

“Ward the room. I’ll be back”

With a sigh Betelgeuse waved his hand blocking all entry to the rooms and to his Lydia.

* * *

Sandalphon gripped the paper in his hand and made his way quickly up the pathway toward Semyaza’s sanctum. He knew that Lydia was still there, with both Betelgeuse and Semyaza she was safe and out of harms way for her awakening. He would just have to make sure that Semyaza increased his security.

Immediately.

He reached the large double doors and knocked, the echo of the bangs startling the wildlife in the gardens surrounding him.

He stepped back slightly seeing the doors swing open.

“Semyaza… I bring a message from Barachiel.” He said holding out the slip of paper.

Semyaza drew in a breath as he looked down at the message, he waved Sandalphon in. “Come in, rest.”

Sandalphon sighed and walked in shaking his shoulders as he dropped his glamour over his wings. His exhaustion overtaking his vanity to hide them as most archangels did anymore. “How is she?” he asked finally asking the question that had been on his mind for the last few days.

Semyaza looked over at his oldest friend. “She was asleep when I last saw her, but Betelgeuse was helping her into the bath when you arrived.”

Sandalphon sighed and followed Semyaza out to the garden. He sat on his favorite bench and closed his eyes taking in the serenity that he could always find there.

“Things have gotten out of control” He said breaking the silence. “Samael has managed to turn nearly the entire Empyrean on its head with his vicious need to control everything.” He sighed wearily.

Semyaza tipped his head to the side knowing exactly how Samael could be. “I’m sure he’s running everything on fear and pain as well. He hasn’t changed. Always thought that he was entitled to it all because he was one of the firsts.” As was he, but because he fell in love with Betelgeuse’s mother… he had fallen. He shook his head.   
“Who do we have on our side… and who do we need to look out for, Azrael is no longer a problem. His powers have been bound and he will serve out his sentence here in the underworld.” 

Sandalphon nodded. “Good, there are many that stayed in the wings not wanting to get involved because of him. We have Raphael gathering the loyal, they will be at hand if need be.”

Semyaza rubbed his eyes tiredly. “It will not be easy for Lydia… but hopefully this transition will go smoothly.” He could only hope.

* * *

Betelgeuse found himself pacing outside the washroom door waiting and listening. Making sure that everything was ok. He had no idea what was going on with Semyaza but figured that if it was something important, they’d be told.

He finally gave into his need to make sure that Lydia was ok and walked over to the door knocking on it gently, so he didn’t startle her. “Everything ok in there babes?”

Lydia laughed as she opened her eyes from where she was relaxing in the bathtub. Amazingly the water had yet to start to cool, or maybe it wasn’t meant to. She wasn’t sure. Hearing Betelgeuse worry about her though had her heart sticking in her throat.

“You can come in” She called out to him, the bubbles in the bath were still covering all of her. But she found that she would prefer him to be in there with her.

Betelgeuse wanted to rip the door open when he heard her tell him to come in. But he kept himself calm and opened the door slowly. Stepping in he could see the top of Lydia’s head from the rim of the tub and laughed softly. Slipping over to the stool he sat down. “How are you feeling.” He asked finally trying not to stare too much.

Lydia tipped her head back so she could see Betelgeuse and nodded. “You were right, this is making me feel a lot better…” she bit her lip and watched him carefully. “I can feel it now.” She held up her hand and concentrated. There was a tingling sensation as a dainty bluish green arch of pure energy danced between her fingertips.

Betelgeuse felt a rush of pride slam into him seeing Lydia so quickly able to manipulate the energy that pulsed through her now. He reached out gently and took her hand letting the feeling of the energy sink into him. It was a head rush. “Fucking shit babes, that’s…” His eyes were dancing. “Incredible.” He rasped out, still feeling the rush of the energy in him, from his head to his toes.

“Is it supposed to do that.” She whispered, eyeing Betelgeuse as his face took on a flushed look… that was something that she wasn’t used to seeing. She reached up touching his cheek gently. He wasn’t…. cold to the touch.

“B….” she whispered her eyes wide in shock.

Betelgeuse frowned looking at the way that Lydia was watching him, as if he’d just disappear. He reached out and felt his cheek not sure what was so fascinating.

“What?”

“You’re warm.”

Lydia reached out slowly, her hand laying over where his heart would be and waited. One… two… three… four… five seconds went by and she still felt nothing. Strangely she felt a rush of relief.

Betelgeuse watched Lydia as she laid her hand on his chest and realized what she was doing. He smiled softly as she pulled her hand away. “Still no ticker babes… but whatever you did, you juiced me real good.” He teased with a wink.

“Ugh, you pain in the ass. I was worried I’d done something bad to you!” she splashed water at him and laughed as he fell off the stool trying to get away from it.

Betelgeuse couldn’t stop the grin from slipping over his face as he got up from the floor. He reached for the robe and towel. “You ok for me to step out, going to find out who was at the door a bit ago.”

Lydia’s smile turned to a worried frown and reached for the towel. “Turn around.” She said and waited till he did as she asked. “Someone came to the door?”

Betelgeuse nodded. “Yeah, right before I came in and checked on you. Semyaza didn’t seem concerned and I’ve got these rooms locked down so that only you and I can come and go in them, just like at Vanth’s.”

Lydia dried herself off and wrapped the robe around herself. It was thick and warm, and she felt like a princess in it. Tying it tight she moved in behind Betelgeuse and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Thank you.” She said softly.

Betelgeuse shrugged not wanting to be thanked for just being respectful to his bonded. “Eh, its nothing babes…” he turned around and scooped her up into his arms smiling as she laughed at him. “You have some food out here too, eat up and I’ll go and see what’s going on.” He said sitting her down on the chair where the tray of food sat, still steaming hot.

He leaned in kissing the top of her head, a habit he was becoming more and more fond of. He waited till she started to tuck in before he slipped out the door. Backtracking he looked for Semyaza in his office. He saw that he wasn’t there but caught his reflection in a mirror that hung near the bookshelf. Stepping forward slowly he could barely recognize himself. He reached up to touch his face, poking it as he realized exactly what had thrown Lydia so much. He wasn’t deathly pale… he looked alive!

He was so distracted that he nearly missed the voices floating through the patio doors. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he headed outside to meet this mysterious visitor.

Sitting with Semyaza on the bench was an archangel with his wings out. Something he hadn’t seen in hundreds of years. But he still recognized him.

“Sandalphon… should have known you’d not be able to stay away.” He said with no malice in his voice. It was thanks to him, that his Lydia was alive.

Sandalphon turned and smiled. He stood and moved toward Betelgeuse his eyes widening as did his smile. “You have accepted your true self I see.” He said.

Betelgeuse shrugged but nodded slightly. “Kinda easy to when there’s a special person to make me want to be better for them.”

“How is Lydia?” He asked.

“She’s better, learning the ropes and all but she’s already able to pull it to the surface.” He bragged as he rocked on the heels of his feet.

Nodding Sandalphon glanced at Semyaza. “I’ve come because I’ve gotten word that Samael is making his move. He plans on confronting Lydia when she goes to the New York Sanctum to accept guardianship.”

Betelgeuse narrowed his eyes. “He will be a fucking feather duster if he thinks he is going to even lay a hand on her.” He growled out.

“You won’t be alone in going to the sanctum… Raphael is gathering the loyal to him and will be ready to help if need be. As well as your father’s legion of Fallen.” He said as Semyaza nodded in agreement.

Betelgeuse frowned and looked between the two of them. “You make it sound like its going to be a full out war… with _My Lydia_ , at the center… no. No. _NO_.” he snarled out at the two of them.

“She ain’t going to be your pawn in this fucking war.” He said as the hair on the back of his neck rose up.

Sandalphon sighed and glanced at Semyaza. “Betelgeuse. There isn’t going to be a war… and we are going to do all we can do to protect her; I’ve made sure she was safe her whole life… I’m not going to give up so easily now.” He assured him.

“How are you going to protect me, and from what.” Lydia’s voice came from the doorway of the patio. She stood there still wrapped in her robe, her hair damp from the bath. Her eyes nearly glowing with the power that was literally at her fingertips.

“I won’t be used again… I won’t.” she said as the energy built wanting to be let out.

Betelgeuse moved to her side, slipping his arm around her inadvertently grounding her as the energy slowly faded back into her. She slumped in against Betelgeuse and whispered. “Sorry, still getting the hang of it.” She whispered.

He looked up at the two standing looking at Lydia with shock in their faces. “Figure it out. I’m going to make sure she rests some more before we have to take on the whole fucking contingent of Archangels.” He growled out and scooped Lydia up in his arms with out another word and took her back inside.

Sandalphon looked at Semyaza and for the first time in centuries laughed.


	16. Chapter 16

Semyaza looked at Sandalphon as he laughed and felt the corner of his mouth slip up in a smile. “Samael really has no idea what he is in for does he?” he looked back at the empty doorway and knew that his son would do everything in his power to keep his bonded safe. The smile slipped from his face, he hoped that he succeeded where he himself had failed.

Sandalphon smiled and patted Semyaza’s shoulder. “She has the same fire her mother did, this time though, she has someone that truly loves her. Not wanting to control her as Samael did to Emily.”

“You speak of love as if it is the thing that will save them.” He said bitterly.

Sandalphon looked at Semyaza, his eyes full of grief for his oldest friend. “It will not happen to them, as it happened to you and Imogene.” He said softly knowing how even the mention of her name was enough to cause pain.

Semyaza sighed looking out at his garden. She was lost to him because of the rules he’d broken to be with her. He would never be reunited with her here in the underworld. Samael had seen to that. He pushed away the maudlin thoughts and turned back to Sandalphon. “I hope you are right old friend.” He said softly.

* * *

Lydia frowned as Betelgeuse sat her down on the sofa. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t’ have eavesdropped.”

Betelgeuse grinned and shook his head before he waved his hand and gave Lydia a cup of steaming hot tea that she liked. “What are you apologizing for that for? Damn babes, if I had to apologize for listen’ in on other people’s shit I’d be saying sorry for the next hundred years.” He teased and then sat down beside her.

Lydia shifted slightly so that she could lean into him and tried to relax. “I just, I want to know what’s going on, I want to be safe again B…” she whispered feeling her eyes welling up. It was the first time that she’d let herself feel scared. There has been so much that had happened in the last two weeks and it all felt like it was coming to a head now.

Betelgeuse could feel the fear echoing through their bond. It was a unique feeling. Pulling her to him gently he rubbed the small of her back just to let her feel grounded and know that he was there for her. “You will be, we’ll get this shit taken care of, tell ol’ Samael to fuck off and we’ll get you all settled. Then the sky’s the limit babes… you can do whatever your heart desires.” He whispered into her temple.

Lydia laughed softly into his shirt and wiped her eyes as she drew in a shaky breath feeling herself starting to calm back down.

“Thanks, don’t know what I’d do with out you.” She brushed her fingers over his hand. It was still hard to believe how much he had changed since he’d rescued her.

“Still don’t know what it is I’m supposed to do for this whole guardianship thing.” She whispered letting her insecurities slip through.

“Its up to you, make up the rules as you go… you are the go between for all three planes.” He said shrugging. “You could do the whole ghost talking thing for people to get closure and charge out the ass.” He grinned.

“From what I remember Vanth telling me about when she was chosen for her sanctum, you’ll be provided with a whole library of information.”

Lydia’s eyes widened at the thought of having her own library…. Well even her own house to be honest. It was a huge thing that she was still trying to wrap her mind around. She bit her lip as she thought of something that had been bothering her for a while.

“What are you going to do…” she trailed off not wanting to make it look that she was desperate for him to stay with her, she wasn’t sure where they stood even though they are bonded.

Betelgeuse pulled back slightly and lifted his hand to cup Lydia’s chin. Once he was sure that she was looking at him he brushed his thumb over her jaw. “Babes, you’re stuck with me as long as you want me around… and I want to be where you are.” He reassured her.

He could see that hesitance in her eyes, he knew that they still had a lot to work through. Maybe they’d figure it out sooner rather than later… but he’d be there at her side for her to figure herself out. That’s what bondmates did… supported their bonded and all that.

“Good, I don’t want to be in a big old house all by myself.” She let a slow smirk slip over her face. “And besides, who better to scare off idiots that my lovely husband.” She grinned and tapped her finger on his nose.

Betelgeuse wrinkled his nose at the tap but smiled. “You bet your ass I will.” 

“Drink your tea… how are you feeling now?” he asked seeing that she had some color back in her face.

“B… will people be able to see you now when you are top side with me?”

Betelgeuse thought about it looking down at his hands. His very human appearing hands. “I think so? I’m not sure. Guess I could ask the ol’ man.”

Lydia reached out and let her hand rest on Betelgeuse’s cheek for a moment and then smiled as she let her energy slip from her fingertips flooding through him. She could feel him so close to her now. In her head. Just like it had been when she had felt him in her dreams and meditations. He had been what had kept her sane in the during the scariest time of her life. Knowing that he was there and would be had her heart fluttering.

She let her fingers slip over his cheek feeling the rough stubble and smiled seeing him furrow his brow curiously. It was then for the first time that she really noticed how blue his eyes were. How had she never noticed that before.

Betelgeuse watched Lydia wondering what was going through her mind, He leaned in slightly to her touch. He could feel her heart speeding up and then there was a slight hitch to her breathing. He closed his eyes just to concentrate on the feel of her. The way that the energy sank into him. It was consuming, wrapping around him in a way that he never wanted it to stop.

Lydia felt her breath catch in her throat when Betelgeuse closed his eyes and leaned into her hand more. Her gaze was drawn down to his mouth.

They had been tip toeing around each other since they had learned they were bonded. She knew that there was something there, a mutual attraction growing as they spent more time together. She wanted more.

She wanted a true partner, he was her bonded, her husband. She wanted it to be true in every sense of the word.

She leaned in slowly shifting slightly so that they were closer and brushed a soft kiss to his lips. She kept her eyes open and knew the second that his eyes flew open in shock.

Betelgeuse had felt Lydia move but had been taken completely by surprise at the feel of her lips brushing his. His eyes flew open as he looked at her and could see nothing but desire in her eyes. He reached up with a trembling hand and cupped her face tenderly.

“Lyds.” He whispered and took a chance leaning in kissing her back just as gently before carefully deepening the kiss, ready to pull back the second that he pushed too fast.

Lydia could feel her heart racing as she leaned into the kiss. Everything rushing through her had up to that point just went away. Her hand slipped up cupping the back of his head pulling him in closer as he deepened the kiss. As whispered moan slipping out of her mouth as she pulled back slightly for air.

Just as she was about to lean in for another kiss a voice cleared their throat making her jump back away from Betelgeuse just as he moved back from her, both of them nearly falling off of the sofa.

When she looked up, she could see an amused Semyaza standing there with the other Archangel that had been outside.

Betelgeuse muttered frustratedly. “Fucking rat shit, who’d have thought that I’d still be caught kissing my girl by my ol man.” Thanks to Lydia’s little energy boost to him before that, the blush on his cheeks was very evident.

Semyaza smiled, a twinkle in both his and Sandalphon’s eyes as they took in the sight in front of them. “As fun as it is to watch the two of you be embarrassed, we thought that it was time to plan how this will go.”

Betelgeuse shook his head. “The more we plan it the better that Samael will be able to counter plan it; I say we just wing it and go with what works… that seems to have worked so far.”

Lydia was still trying to compose herself and get her heart to stop wanting to leap out of her chest. She watched the play between Semyaza and Betelgeuse and could see the similarities now even more so with them in the same room together. She pulled her attention back to what was being said and frowned slightly.

“Can you at least tell me what I am going to be facing against… I’m just me, nothing special. I don’t even know how to use these powers yet, especially against someone like Samael.” She refused to acknowledge that she had any blood in common with him.

Sandalphon moved to sit in the chair across from the two of them and looked at Lydia. This was the child he had spent the last 18 years making sure that she lived to her awakening… she reminded him so much of her mother. The fire was there and so was the passion. Something that Emily had been lacking in. “As cliché as it sounds, you’ll know what to do when the time comes.”

  
Lydia threw her head back on the sofa with a loud groan. “You know how frustrating that is to hear?” she glanced over at Betelgeuse and could see there was a burning fire of something just simmering under his skin, she could feel it echoing through to her.

Betelgeuse snorted and let his arm stretch out over the back of the sofa, his fingers brushing over Lydia’s shoulder. “Don’t you worry Babes, I’ve got your back. We’ll take care of that ancient feather duster.”

Sandalphon sighed and leaned back in the chair watching the two of them. “You can feel each other through your bond already, can’t you?” he asked curiously.

Betelgeuse glanced at Lydia seeing her eyes widening and knew that she could feel him just as well as he could feel her. “That a good thing?” he asked bluntly.

“It is, that’s a sign that the two of you have a stronger bond than most. It probably doesn’t hinder the fact that you both have ethereal blood running through you veins. Its pulling you together more, merging your energies. I’m sure that you’ll find as the time passes, you’ll be able to communicate at a mere glance.”

Betelgeuse held his hand up and frowned. “What, let me get this straight… we’ll be able to talk to each other with out opening out mouths.” He shook his head and then stopped narrowing his eyes at the archangel. “And how would you know all of this?”

Sandalphon smiled sadly glancing at Semyaza. “I have had the honor of witnessing such bonds before.” He replied simply.

Semyaza interrupted before anything else could be said. “From what we have gathered. Samael will be by himself because he doesn’t feel that you are a threat to him. He has no idea how strong you are or that Betelgeuse will be at your side.”

Lydia had watched the byplay between Sandalphon and Semyaza and knew that there was something more there. But it didn’t seem to be important right then. She rubbed her head and looked at Betelgeuse. “How long will you need to be ready before we go… I feel like this needs to be done as soon as possible.”

It was like an itch under her skin, driving her forward… just as it had been over the last few weeks.

Betelgeuse snapped his fingers instantly changing his clothes to his black and white pinstripes and smiled. “I’m ready whenever you are babes.” He grinned. That fire in his stomach was burning hotter and he wanted his revenge against Samael for everything that he had done to cause his Lydia pain.

Lydia looked down at the simple clothes she was wearing, her black tights and a red sweater.

Steeling herself she looked at Betelgeuse and nodded. “I’m ready.”

Semyaza nodded. “I’ll send word to Raphael; we’ll be ready and waiting if you need us. Just say my name and we’ll be at your side.” He assured her.

Betelgeuse frowned. “Hey, isn’t the say my name thing mine.”

Semyaza arched his eyebrow at his son. “Where do you think that they figured out how to bind you to that… they did it to me first.”

“Huh.” Betelgeuse was curious to know what he meant by that, but now wasn’t the time. He reached held his arm out for Lydia. “Shall we my dear, we have an important date with an egotistical feather duster.”

Lydia let out a nervous laugh and nodded. Drawing in a breath she held her head up and slipped her arm through Betelgeuse’s. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he raised his hand.

“It’s Showtime!” and snapped.

* * *

Samael sat in the darkened corner of the New York sanctum. It was run down, dilapidated and not a single human or living being had stepped foot in it in nearly fifty-four years.

Oh, he remembered the last one that tried to take the guardianship… his eyes narrowed. She’d almost succeeded. Had it not been for the fact that she had been weak from giving birth just weeks before. It had been a shame to see her life snuffed out so soon. The dark beauty seemed to run strong in that family. At least her daughter had had some sense in her to give herself over to him in order to stay alive… well. For a few years anyway.

His mind was drawn away from his memories when he felt a wash of energy flood the building.

A sinister smile slipped over his face as he stood in the darkness and waited.

* * *

Betelgeuse popped them into the main entry way of the sanctum. It was the best place he figured for them to get their bearings. “You good babes?” he whispered looking around. This place was a mess. They were going to have a lot of work to do to get it livable.

Lydia nodded and shivered. Something felt off there. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just… somethings not right.” She whispered looking up at him. Her eyes bellowing the fear that was starting to build. 

Betelgeuse felt himself tense up and he looked around. He couldn’t feel anything or see anything. But that didn’t mean that the bastard wasn’t there waiting in hiding for them. “Stick close to me… I’ll pop you out of here the second that you want to ok.” He tried to sound more confident than what he was feeling.

She closed her eyes and drew in a slow measured breath, letting her energy simmer right there under her skin. She tried to push back the fear that was right there too, making her want to turn and beg Betelgeuse to take her away from there. But she knew that if they ran, that would all that they ever would do.

She wanted to live her life and not be on the run. She opened her eyes and slipped her hand into Betelgeuse’s and let herself be led by whatever was pulling her.

It was time for her to confront her demons. Even if that demon took the form of an Archangel.

Betelgeuse let Lydia take the reigns as they started to walk through the building. He could feel something stirring as they got closer to the main hallway. He stopped her and turned facing Lydia. “I don’t think that we should….” He was cut off when something slammed into him pinning him to the wall behind him. He heard Lydia scream and he started to reach for her only to feel every bit of his body paralyzed. The absolute panic and fear slammed into him as he fought desperately to get out of whatever was holding him, whatever was binding his powers.

He was helpless.

Lydia felt herself scream and knew that Samael was there. She saw Betelgeuse fly through the air, pinned and immobilized against the wall unable to get down. She did the one thing that she knew that she could.

She yelled out “ Semyaza!”

She hoped it would be enough.

She could feel an invisible force gripping onto her and pulling her toward the darkness. She reached out, her fingers scrapping down the walls.

And then it all stopped.

She dropped to the floor.

At first Lydia had thought that help had arrived, but Betelgeuse was still pinned to the wall.

She was about to turn and run to him when someone stepped out of the dark shadows.

A man with black hair that fell just below his shoulders, his jaw was sharp, and his face was long and narrow.

But it was his eyes that drew her in, holding her frozen in her place.

They were just like hers.

Samael.

Her father.

She fought to get out of his control and pushed herself to her knees. The fire in her burning brighter as she clenched her jaw. “You have no idea what you have done.” She rasped out breaking through part of his hold on her. 

Samael tipped his head looking down at the girl. She looked just like her mother, but not the eyes. Emily and Emily’s mother both had ice blue eyes. But not this girl. He reached down and cupped her jaw.

“I assure you girl; I know exactly what I’ve done. I am doing the same thing I have done to your kind since the beginning of time.”

The grip on her jaw became painful and she tried to jerk out of his hand.

Samael chuckled at the pitiful attempt of the girl to get away from him. He could feel her awakened powers wanting to be free, but she had yet to master that. “It’s a shame that you chose this path, you should have done as your mother had.”

Lydia clenched her jaw as the tears burned hot in her eyes, the fury starting to build in her. “She did what she had to do to make sure I would survive.” She snarled through her clenched teeth.

Samael leaned in and whispered. “You have the same fire as your grandmother…. I wonder if you’re flame will flicker out as hers did.” He looked up and waved his hand around him lighting all the sconces on the walls. “Right here in the same place too, such a family legacy.”

He looked back down at her seeing the angry tears. “Oh, I’m sorry darling, did you not know that?” he said mockingly.

Lydia could feel the fury raging through her, and it wasn’t just her anger either, it was Betelgeuse’s as well.

Samael felt the ripple of energy flood the room and suddenly they weren’t alone. He snarled and threw his hand up putting a ward around the two of them, releasing his hold on Betelgeuse. Sealing them in. He glared down at her. “They won’t save you.” He growled and with his eyes narrowing he gripped her chin hard making her look up at him and then with his other hand laid it over her forehead.

Lydia could hear Betelgeuse screaming to let him in. The fear was overwhelming as it flooded through her. She could feel the panic starting to rush through her when she was forced to look up at Samael, the memory of her mother in the same position had the tears she had been so valiantly holding back start to slip down her face.

She felt his hand move to rest on her forehead and she knew this was it, she was going to die, just as her mother had.

* * *

The second that Betelgeuse hit the ground he flung himself at the barrier separating him from Lydia. He started to pound on it as hard as he could, pushing as much of his energy and power that he could. He could taste the fear pouring from Lydia.

**_His Lydia_**.

He had promised to keep her safe, promised that he would save her.

There were tears in his eyes as he beat his hands fruitlessly on the barrier. He felt someone behind him trying to pull him away, he yanked out of their hands pushing harder than he had for anything in his entire existence.

“Son, you need to focus.”

He heard Semyaza but he couldn’t focus, he had to get to Lydia. “NO! I NEED TO HELP HER!” he screamed. His hands hit the barrier again with enough force that it threw him backwards into the wall. He fought through the pain and the anguish and crawled to his hands and knees.

He turned on them all. “Don’t just stand there! FUCKING HELP HER, OR HADES HELP ME I WILL KILL YOU ALL!” he roared.

And then everything went still, he turned his head as if everything was moving in slow motion and saw Samael laying his hand on Lydia’s forehead, his mind flashing back to what Lydia had told him about the day her mother had died… what Azrael had done to her. Everything in him stopped as he rasped out hoarsely. “Lydia.”

Lydia closed her eyes and pulled everything that she had in her, all of her energy, her power, her love for Betelgeuse and pushed. She could feel herself getting pulled tighter as if something was squeezing the life out of her.

Tighter

Tighter

And tighter

Till she finally felt something in her snap, blowing back a wave of blue energy crashing into Samael hard enough it lifted him up and slamming him into the wall behind him. The barrier holding them all back from her collapsed and a flood energy poured out, blowing out all the scones and lights.

She dropped limply to the floor.

Not moving.

Betelgeuse had been frozen watching everything unfold. The second that Lydia fell to the floor he was at her side pulling her into his lap.

“Come one babes, don’t do this.” He rasped out unaware of the tears that were slipping down his face.

“Don’t do this to me… please… Lydia.” He whispered as he rocked her body in his arms, brushing the hair out of her face tenderly.

“Please love… please...” He begged looking up at the Fallen and the Archangels.

“Don’t let this happen.” He pleaded.

He lifted her up wrapping her into his arms holding her tight as he buried his face into her neck. “I love you, please… don’t leave me.” He whispered.

He could hear shuffling all around him, but he didn’t care, nothing mattered anymore. He had failed to do the one thing that he had promised her he’d do.

“M’not leavin.” Lydia whispered hoarsely, her words slurring from how drained she was.

Betelgeuse lifted his head in shock. “Oh fucking shit babes, I thought I’d lost ya.” He rasped out.

Lydia lifted her hand slowly up cupping his cheek and brushing away the tears. He had cried for her. “Gonna take more than that to off me.” She whispered and leaned into him.

Betelgeuse let out a watery laugh and kissed the top of her head. “Never letting you out of my sight.” He whispered and finally looked up around them. He could see that Samael was bound, a pair of something resembling handcuffs keeping his hands and his powers bound.

“You’re safe now. He can’t hurt ya again.”

Lydia turned her head slowly and saw Samael in cuffs and surrounded by his now jailers. She whispered to Betelgeuse. “Help me stand up. I have something I want to say to him.”

Betelgeuse wasn’t too happy with the thought of letting Lydia anywhere close to Samael, but he knew that he had to. He carried her over toward them, Semyaza and Sandalphon standing behind the two of them. He let her down on her own two feet holding her steady till she was sure on her feet.

Lydia drew in a slow deep breath and looked at the man that was the reason for her family’s deaths. She pooled what energy she had in her and reared her hand back, clenching her fist as she hauled back and punched him in the face with all she had, giving a bit more power to it with her energy crackling from her fingers.

She watched in satisfaction as he stumbled back into the archangels holding him still, blood pouring from his nose.

“That’s for my grandmother and for my mother…” She sneered and then let the venom of her hate for him slip into her smile.

“Father.”

She watched his eyes widen in shock as the reality of who she was, what she was hit him.

“Get him out of my sanctum.”

She turned back to Betelgeuse and once she heard the tell take pops of them disappearing, she collapsed in his arms, wiped out of all her energy.

“Hey B…” she whispered as he wrapped his arms around her lifting her up and carrying her to a side room. She could see Semyaza and Sandalphon following behind them conjuring up items that they would need.

Betelgeuse smiled and nuzzled her hair as he carried her to a small settee. “Yeah?”

Lydia smiled and before he sat her down, she whispered into his ear. “Did you tell me that you loved me?”

Betelgeuse couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter from slipping out. “Of course, you would hear that.” He set her down and knelt in front of her, cupping her face gently he brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear as he made sure that she had all her attention on him.

“Yes, I did say I loved you… and I do, not just because I thought you were gone.” He avowed softly.

Lydia could feel the tears slipping down her cheeks again, she could feel her heart in her throat. “Good… because I love you too.” She whispered.

They were once again interrupted by Semyaza clearing his throat, only this time he was smiling brightly.

“I apologize, but its time for Lydia to accept her guardianship formally.”

Lydia laughed as she let her forehead rest on Betelgeuse’s shoulder his arms going around her as he held her tight to him.

  
“Alright, let’s get this over with.”


	17. Chapter 17

Lydia’s acceptance of her guardianship wasn’t as grand and eventful as he it would be. He had thought that there would be some grand proclamation and pomp and circumstance… but in the end, it was her reciting a vow to be the protector of the mortal plane. There had been a moment when it felt like time had stood still as a shimmer of silver and gold light seemed to rise from her skin before it settled back down like I had never been there before.

The sanctum filled with light and a sudden warmth that hadn’t been there since the building had been constructed.

Betelgeuse had felt it, he was a part of it as much as Lydia was. It was a sobering moment realizing that his bonded was now the figurative gatekeeper for the mortal realm. It was his duty to keep her safe. Not just because he felt he had to, but because he loved her.

It was a hell of a thing for him to come to grips with, realizing that he had no desire to be in this world without her in it, he had been ready to raze the entire universe to the ground at the inkling that she was gone from him. Having her so close to being taken away made something in him snap. He could feel how deeply his emotions were now, as if that wall that had been around them before was suddenly gone. 

Now, he felt like he had a second chance. One that he would be sure to not let slip by.

Betelgeuse stood back watching as Lydia sat talking softly to Raphael and Sandalphon, he knew that they were explaining their part in the dismantling of Samael’s iron hold on the Archangels and what was expected of her. He’d let her tell him later what all she had learned. This was for her now.

He didn’t see Semyaza anywhere as he glanced around. Frowning softly, he walked out of the room and started to go down the hallway to see where he’d slipped away to. He still had a lot of questions, ones that only he could answer.

Walking with soft steps down the hallway he walked silently peaking into each of the rooms as he went past them. So many empty rooms. He wondered what Lydia would want to do with them all… he’d help her as much as he could in rearranging and merging rooms if need be. His mind was drifting, not holding onto any specific thought. He was still trying wrap his head around everything that had happened in just a short amount of time.

The biggest of them all, still at the forefront of his mind.

Him telling Lydia that he loved her. Make no mistake, he had no regrets at all… but it was the realization that he could _feel_ it, had him trying to understand it on a level that he wasn’t used to.

Rubbing his hand on the back of his neck he could see a flicker of light coming from what looked like a sitting room. He slipped in and could see that it opened onto a terrace of some sort. He could see a figure of someone standing out there. The glow of the tip of a cigarette lighting up the darkness. Smiling more to himself he walked quietly toward the figure. Stepping out on to the terrace he could see the traffic and people milling around below. All oblivious to everything that had happened. How close they all had come to not existing, bystanders in a war older than time itself.

And now, his Lydia was to be their protector.

He leaned against the railing and looked up at the starless sky. “What will happen now?” he broke the silence, his voice still quiet.

Semyaza sighed softly and took a slow drag of the cigarette. It had no affect on him, but the feeling of it in his hand, the warmth and smell was enough.

“Raphael will take over the position left open by Samael, gather his own people that are wanting to work toward the betterment of everything and not just themselves… its going to take time, I’m sure that there will be a lot of them trying to throw their weight around, but Raphael has been planning this for too long, and he has my Fallen to aid him.”

Betelgeuse rubbed his jaw slightly turning toward his father. “How long has this been planned… how long have you known that this would involve Lydia, or me for that matter.” His voice held no judgement, but he had to know if they were pawns in this whole debacle.

Semyaza sighed and turned to look at his son. “I didn’t know anything about the two of you till you showed up at Vanth’s sanctum. There had been talk for the last ten years or so about the possibility of someone finally being able to fulfill the guardianship… Sandalphon is the one that kept pushing that and now I know why.” He flicked out his hand and handed Betelgeuse a cigarette.

Betelgeuse took the offered cigarette and lit it with a snap of his fingers his thoughts rolling in circles, there was still so much he had to know, questions he had.

“Tell me something…” he started. “Is me being a Nephilim the reason for this…” he asked as he motioned his hand over himself, indicating how much he had changed in such a short amount of time.

Semyaza tried not to smile as he conjured up a chair and sat down motioning for Betelgeuse to do the same. “Here’s the thing that you have to realize… you are powerful, more so than what you even realize.” He explained.

“You were told from the beginning when you woke up in the underworld that you were a demon. You had seen what the demons around you had looked like, what they acted like and you unconsciously emulated that, your powers drawing from your subconscious as it molded you how you _believed_ you should look.” He took a long draw on his cigarette.

“Your natural form. “He waved his hand over himself letting all the glamours he had over himself to come to the mortal realm fall. Revealing his silken black feathered wings, and an almost unearthly aura that was thick enough to feel. “Would have been close to what you see with me… but you stunted yourself in a way.” He sighed.

“You are unique in that aspect.”

Betelgeuse frowned as he sat down his head in is hands as he thought about what Semyaza was saying. He had done it to himself, his appearance. He could feel a tightening in his chest, and he realized that it was because he was _panicking._

Semyaza reached out and squeezed Betelgeuse’s shoulder gently to get him to stop spiraling. “But its reversing its self, Betelgeuse, your powers unrestricted now and its flowing through you as it should have from the beginning.” He squeezed his shoulder again. “That’s why you are changing so much, you are coming into your true appearance, the speed is aided by your bondeds living energy. The closer the two of you get, the faster that you will come into yourself.” He patted the side of his head.

“Be happy you don’t have these fucking things to deal with.” He said flexing his wings.

“You my son, will be as you should have been from the start.” He said softly and smiled.

“Can’t say I’m disappointed, you definitely got my good looks after all.” He his smirk slipped as he sighed softly tipping Betelgeuse’s chin up as he looked him in the eyes. “But you have your mother’s eyes.” He whispered. It was hard to see that and acknowledge that.

Betelgeuse frowned slowly as he realized that he had never been compared to parents before. It was an odd feeling that was curling around in his chest. “What was she like… I don’t remember her.” He rasped out letting out some of the emotions that were threatening to drown him.

Semyaza let out a shaky sigh and leaned back letting go of Betelgeuse. “She was, amazing. I saw her and knew that she was the only one for me. Probably how it was instinctively for you and Lydia, even if you didn’t realize it back then.”

He shook his head thinking back. It was still such a vivid memory. “She was in a field, gathering some sort of herbs or flowers of some kind… and she looked up and saw me.” He laughed a bit. “I was so shocked that she could see me, wings and all. I followed her, tried to woo her, court her… did all that I could. When I realized that I loved her, so many months after we had been together… I knew that it would only end in heartbreak. The Fallen are doomed to love and suffer… our penance if you will for going against Samael’s rules.” He shook his head.

“The day you were born… was the happiest day of my existence, I’ve held that memory so close but so afraid to think about it.” He lit another cigarette.

“When she died, Samael banished her from the underworld…. i never will see her again.” He said softly. “She was my bonded. She kept me grounded and gave me love. More than I ever deserved.” His voice hardened.

“And then they kept me from you, when you came to the underworld. If things had been different, you would have come straight to my sanctum, learned about what you are, learned how to harness your powers then… but Samael was so wrapped up in control of everything, I was banned from ever seeking you out and because of that… you believed yourself to be a demon, born from a mortal woman with no love from an ethereal being…. And your powers warped to your beliefs.” 

Betelgeuse had sat silently listening and realizing that there was so much that had been wrong in his life, so many what ifs and what could have beens. It was sickening to know how manipulated they all had been. He couldn’t imagine being away from Lydia now, the thought of that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. How his father continued to be able to function just showed him how much inner strength he had. He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed.

“Is there anything or anyone that can help find her?” he asked thinking about his mother.

Semyaza shook his head his eyes showing the depth of the sadness he felt. “I have yet to find anything.” He said softly and then looked up seeing Lydia walking toward them.

Betelgeuse turned to see what his father had been distracted by. He stood up and smiled his hands reaching out for Lydia’s. “How was the talk?” he asked.

Lydia smiled and wrapped her arms around Betelgeuse’s middle and buried her face into his chest. Just sinking into his comfort and support. “Better, It will take a while to make sense of it all, but that’s ok.” She whispered not moving her face from his shirt.

Semyaza smiled at the two. “I will take my leave then, if you need anything just sent a message, there is a post box on the back of your office door, just title it to me and it will appear in my box.”

Betelgeuse remembered one more thing that he had been curious about. Well, one of the more important things. “One more question… humans, can they see me now?” he asked curiously.

Semyaza smiled and chuckled. “Yes, they can, to them you will appear as a normal human man… but there will be just something that they can’t put their finger on about you.”

He slipped out of the room leaving the two of them to each other. Moving toward the library he stopped when he saw Raphael coming out of the room with Sandalphon. “Finished now?” he asked.

Raphael nodded. “I am going to make sure that his banishment has been finalized. I will let you know when it is done.”

Semyaza held his hand up for him to pause. “Will you find out, from him.” He closed his eyes as he tried to voice his question. He heard Sandalphon pick up where he left off knowing what he was going to ask.

Sandalphon reached out and squeezed Semyaza’s shoulder gently before turning to Raphael. “Will you find out if his bonded wife Imogene is able to be brought back from wherever Samael sent her.”

Raphael’s eyes widened and then bowed slightly before Semyaza acknowledging his pain. “I will do my best.” He promised and then with another bow before the two of them he disappeared.

Semyaza turned to Sandalphon and squeezed his arm back in return. “Thank you, my friend, it’s been a rough evening. I had to explain it all to Betelgeuse. But he knows now.” He said softly. “I am going to go home; you are welcome to join me… I could use the company.”

Sandalphon nodded sympathetically. “Of course, I will see you there.” He said and the two of them disappeared with a pop.

* * *

Betelgeuse finally took the time to get a good look at Lydia. He brushed her hair back out of her face his fingertips lingering on her cheek. He could see the bruising there from her fight with Samael. He let his energy flow in a gentle wave healing her cheek. “There, no black eyes for you.”

Lydia leaned into the touch her eyes closing. “Thank you, its been a long day… lets find somewhere to set up a bed and I am going to sleep for the next twenty years.” She grinned but didn’t move.

Betelgeuse couldn’t help the smile slipping over his face. “I’ll be sure that any inquiries are written down in triplet in the meantime.” He teased softly and then scooped her up into his arms and started down the hallway toward one of the bedrooms he had passed earlier.

“Alright babes, lets get a bed and clean sheets for ya.” He said as he sat her gently down on her feet. With a wave of his hand the room was dust free, clean and a roaring fire lit the fireplace. Wiggling his eyebrows up at her he snapped his fingers and the bed that had been in Vanth’s room for them reappeared, the blankets, sheets and pillows all freshly cleaned.

“And there we go.” He said smoothing his hands over her shoulders gently. He snapped his fingers again and her robe and night clothes were laying at the base of the bed. “Go, get yourself a bath and relax, I’ll make up something for you to have for dinner and then you can get your much-needed sleep.”

Lydia could feel the tears welling up in her eyes at how with out asking a single question he knew exactly what she wanted and what she needed. She wrapped her arms around him again hugging him tight to her. Standing on her tip toes she leaned up and kissed him. Her hands found purchase on his shoulders as she deepened the kiss.

Finally pulling back she let her forehead rest on his chest. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she didn’t want to just blurt it out again and it feel silly. “I feel like I keep repeating myself, but thank you for taking care of me, protecting me and… for loving me.” She whispered.

Betelgeuse knew that his face was heating up, and it wasn’t from the kiss. “You don’t have to thank me babes, gonna take care of you.” He whispered and brushed his lips over hers again in a soft tender kiss. His hand cupped her cheek and he could feel the warmth of her skin sinking into his. “If you don’t go get your bath…. I’m not going to be held responsible for the ravishing you are going to get.” He said pulling back slowly, his voice was rough.

Lydia pulled back slowly, her face flushed as she brushed her fingers over her lips, she could still feel the tingle in them from the kisses. Ducking her head down coyly she backed away from him. “I suppose…” And before he could change his mind she was slipping into the bathroom and shut the door.

Betelgeuse chuckled; his voice was thick as he shook his head fondly at her disappearing act. He slipped out of the bedroom and headed for where he had last seen the kitchen. He would make up some nice soup, and bread. Something filling but not heavy.

With a snap of his fingers, the kitchen was lit up and clean.

“That’s the stuff.” Rolling his shoulders, he cracked his fingers before waving his hand to the counter, conjuring up all that he would need to actually cook.

As much as pulling food from other places was easier to do and faster… he wanted to do something special for her.

So, cooking it was, he thought with a grin.

He could _so_ do this husband thing.


	18. Chapter 18

Gabriel walked silently down the darkened hallway keeping a close ear out to be sure that he wasn’t being followed. He had made sure to take care of first four guards he’d come upon and now he had to move quickly before they were noticed. He had a short amount of time to get in and do what he needed to do before he was caught. If he failed, then this would be all for nothing.

Slipping through the shadows he could see one lone guard standing at the door and he shook his head at their foolishness. He melded into the shadows and pulled his energy into him before he slipped in behind the guard his hands gripping the sides of his head and pushed all his energy into him. The guard slipping to the floor silently, it would take months for him to regain consciousness… so no worry about him waking and sounding the alarm.

He ran his hand down the door frame feeling the enchantments that had been woven into the structure to keep Samael in.

Fools, did they really feel they had so many on their side that they just used the usual enchantments.

With a violent slash of his hands he dissolved the enchantments and the alarms before he slowly opened the door. He could see Samael sitting on a bench, leaning against the wall his arms still bound.

“It took you long enough to get here.” He said simply.

Gabriel walked into the room and held onto the cuffs that bound him. Pushing his energy into the releases they fell soundlessly to the floor.

“They are lax in their belief that we are all with them and against you.”

Samael shook his head and started out the door.

“Come, we will go to Hyperborea… we will find the resources we need to take back control.” He said and looked down at the unconscious guard. He wasn’t going to let this turn into a mistake again.

It was time to remind all of the Empyrean and the Underworld who he was and why he was The High Archangel of Death.

He would not be tossed away like some commoner.

He clenched his teeth as he fought the sneer from slipping over his face and put his hand on the guard’s head and pulled his energy out of him, killing him instantly. The pleasure that washed through him at that had him biting back a laugh.

Oh, how he had missed this. Too long had he been behind a desk.

No more, it was time to get back his empire.

His _daughter_ would be the first to fall under his command. Oh, how that made his blood boil with fury that Emily had kept her from him. To think, the power that he could have had trained from the very beginning.

He looked at Gabriel. “Where are the other guards. None will be left to tell what happened.” He said as the emotionless masked slipped over his face.

The other guards were dispatched in the same manner as the first and with a smirk he disappeared, Gabriel disappearing shortly after only hesitating slightly before following his leader.

* * *

Footsteps echoed down the garden pathway leading to Semyaza’s sanctum. They could see the light flickering at the entry way as they rushed the door. Pounding on it loudly.

Semyaza had been in his office reading through a text when he heard the pounding and shot up out of his chair racing to the front entryway. He flung the door open and saw Barachiel collapsing on the ground at his feet, his wings unglamoured, a tattered mess. He reached down hurriedly helping the Guardian Archangel up off of the ground.

“What happened.” He asked knowing in his gut that something horrific had happened.

Barachiel gasped as he fought to regain his breath.

“Samael… escaped…. killed… the guards…”

He said as he put his hands to his knees to bring himself under control. He had had to take all the back ways to get to Semyaza, not wanting to risk any eyes on him and getting back to Samael.

Semyaza glanced up at the darkened garden path making sure that he wasn’t followed before he pulled him into the entry way and shut the door pulling up the wards.

“Come, we have to make plans.” He said leading the archangel to his office.

He needed to alert Betelgeuse and Lydia, Samael would go after them both before they were in the way of him taking back control.

“Where is Raphael?” he asked once they were in his office.

He immediately started to pen alerts to the sanctums he knew that were sympathetic to their side. He knew of a handful of places that Samael could go without issue and those places were filled with darkness and evil. That made him all the more dangerous.

Barachiel shook his head. “He is trying to gather all the loyalist to Samael up and interrogate them. He had help, but he wasn’t sure who it was.”

Semyaza sighed and scrubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “If Azrael wasn’t bound and confined here in the underworld, I’d point at him, but now… I’m not so sure.”

Barachiel was just as unsure as he sat there watching Semyaza put out the alert.

* * *

Lydia was cleaning up around her new desk in the library, trying to see exactly what she had and what she wanted to get.

It felt… official. Like she had an actual job. It was funny that she even had money that was deposited into an account that had magically been opened for her. How that even worked she had no idea. It was something that Raphael had explained to her after she had accepted her guardianship. At least they understood that as a human she couldn’t just commit herself to this new job with out having compensation. She did think that it was funny that they had a whole business that was legal for the human world.

Her mind wandered as she heard another crash coming from downstairs. She laughed softly to herself knowing that it was Betelgeuse _remodeling._ He had decided that he was going to try to do it the ‘ _human_ ’ way.

She wondered if it was just because he was trying to amuse himself or that he really wanted to play with power tools.

As much as a supernatural being he was, under it all, he was still a man, and that amused her endlessly.

Putting another book on the shelf she stopped and picked up her dusting rag before heading out the door, never noticing the paper that fluttered down from the air onto her desk.

She was getting a bit hungry and wondered if there was still soup left over from the night before. When he had brought her up fresh homemade bread and soup she had been floored, and it had been amazing.

She stopped in the doorway of what she thought had been a sitting room at one time, now it was a large room that was missing several walls.

“Well… that escalated quickly.” She teased seeing him covered in drywall dust. When she had checked on him earlier he had just been drawing on a note pad and muttering to himself.

Betelgeuse looked up quickly with a grin. “Didn’t hear ya come in babes…. What do you think about your new waiting room! You know for when your clients start to pour in… I figured a room right off the entry way was the best bet.” He grinned and sauntered toward her with the power saw in his hand.

Lydia stepped into the room and walked turned in a circle slowly taking it all in.

The smile that lit up her face would stick with Betelgeuse for years to come. He wanted to always make her smile like that.

“Its brilliant! I hadn’t even thought of that.” She said and moved to slip her arms carefully around him avoiding the dust and power tool as best as she could. “It’s starting to feel real.” She said softly and leaned up on her tip toes to kiss his dusty cheek.

“I’m going to heat up some of the leftovers from last night. Found a lot of really interesting books upstairs in the library. It is absolutely insane seeing them all.” She said giddily, it had been a long time since she had found interest in anything… and being in a place that was slowly becoming a home was something that she desperately needed… she had a feeling that the same was for Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse had found that since he’d been in the mortal plane, the thought of food was appetizing. He didn’t think that he needed to eat but he liked being able to now. “I could take a break and join you.”

Lydia smiled softly and nodded reaching up to brush the dust off of his shoulders. “I’d like that very much.” She said and leaned up pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Betelgeuse let go of the saw letting it float gently to the floor as he wrapped both arms around Lydia leaning into the kiss. As he pulled back, he chuckled seeing the smear of dust on her cheek. He brushed it off with a gently touch and then bowed teasingly. “After you m’lady.”

Lydia rolled her eyes, her cheeks still flushed from just that simple of a kiss. She headed for the kitchen and smiled. “I’ll get the bread out if you heat up the soup?” she asked taking the bread from the bread box and setting it out on the cutting board. She cut off a few slices and turned her head when she could smell the soup. Shaking her head, she grinned.

“Now that is cheating.”

Betelgeuse held up the steaming bowls of soup and shrugged his shoulders unapologetically.

“Never said how I had to heat them up babes… juicing them is just quicker.”

He sat the bowls down and pulled out the chair for her. He summoned up two cups of tea as well, her favorite that he had stolen from his pops.

Lydia started to eat realizing how hungry she was. She had to get used to eating again, the random meals she got when she had been at home had stunted her appetite and then when she’d been in the hospital it had become nonexistent… now it was slowly coming back and she had a feeling that was why Betelgeuse was careful to what he gave her. It was amazing to realize how observant he was… but she guessed that after having spent decades invisible to everyone, he probably had nothing better to do then just watch.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled seeing him slowly eating the soup as well. “I’m glad that one of us can cook… because I sure can’t, we’d be living off of take out.”

Betelgeuse chuckled softly. “I’ve seen how you cook there babes, I’d have to demo the whole kitchen and start again if you tried to.” He teased wiggling his eyebrows up at her.

“Once we get all settled in right, I’ll show ya how to make some of the best food out there.” He promised. “You name it, I could probably make it… or at least find the dead person who invented it and make them show you.” He nodded his head to himself figuring that was a pretty good idea.

Lydia snorted into her soup and coughed as she laughed. “Oh god, I can picture it now, I’d get a craving for Italian and you’d go and find me the ghost of some little old Italian woman who’d probably smack my hand with a wooden spoon if I did something wrong… of course you’d have to find one that spoke English.” 

Betelgeuse shook his head as he picked up his bowl and tipped it back drinking the broth. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and grinned. “Didn’t anyone tell ya babe… there’s no language barrier when you’re a guardian… be a fucking riot if you couldn’t understand one of the spooks coming to get help.”

Lydia stopped mid sip of her tea and looked at Betelgeuse, her eyes widening. “Seriously? Does that mean I can understand people that are alive too?” that would be amazing! She’d never have to worry about learning another language again.

Betelgeuse stopped and thought about it and then shook his head. “Nah, just the dead… somethin’ bout when you are dead there’s no barriers or somethin’.”

“Damn, you got my hopes up.” She tossed her napkin at him with a smile showing him she really wasn’t upset with him. “So… when I was looking at the books upstairs, I saw something interesting but I’m not sure what it means”

Betelgeuse waved his hand and cleaned up their dishes after Lydia finished her last bite and he leaned back in the chair looking at her, his full attention on her. “I figure there is a shit ton of stuff in those books… I’ll try an answer but can’t guarantee I know.”

Lydia nodded and picked up her tea sipping it thinking about the book. “It was talking about the Rift Plane?” she said seeing the way that Betelgeuse tensed up slightly had her anxious. “but I’m not sure what that is… Raphael never mentioned anything about it, but that doesn’t mean much though… he was in a bit of a hurry.”

Betelgeuse sighed and looked at Lydia his face more serious than it had ever been before, no signs of joking or taking the piss out of her for anything.

“The Rift plane is basically what your religious mortals think of Purgatory… or Limbo, but you don’t get there for being an evil fucker.”

He sighed. “When you die, your slate is wiped clean, you start your afterlife how ever you want to. Some keep being dicks and psychos and they end up in places that seem to draw those types to them… think of it like the bad parts of town, only its bad parts of the underworld. Places like Mictlan and Hyperborea… those are places that no one in their right mind will go unless they are looking for trouble.” He sighed and tried to get back on track.

“The Rift Plane is a place that you are banished to, the Archangels who are under Samael, or were, basically have used it as their little prison. Anyone that wronged them they were banished. Their souls can’t be brought back from there…. At least as far as we know they can’t. Samael I’m sure knows how.” He said bitterly knowing now that his own mother had been banished there as punishment against Semyaza.

Lydia bit her lip. “I can do it.”

She whispered softly. “At least that’s what the book says… that I can restore the souls lost in the Rift.”


	19. Chapter 19

Semyaza looked up seeing Sandalphon and Raphael walking into his office. He had been pacing waiting for word from his scouts. And he was trying not to worry when he hadn’t heard anything from Lydia or Betelgeuse.

“Any word yet?” he asked as he watched them both collapse tiredly in the chairs. The last few hours had been a mess trying to figure out what was going on and where Samael had gone.

Raphael shook his head. “Nothing, no one is saying anything and on top of that, Gabriel is missing.”

Semyaza’s head snapped up as his eyes narrowed. “Who else do you have being watched?”

He was still surprised that over the last hundred years Gabriel had started to side with Samael, at the beginning, Gabriel had been in charge of watching over the souls that were to be given life… and then he’d went on a rampage killing all those that he had deemed unworthy.

Semyaza had remembered how it had been Samael and Uriel whispering in his ear about the abominations that were the children, sired by the Fallen. And then as suddenly as he had started, he’d stopped and went back to taking his role over seriously.

“Daniel, Michael, Uriel, Sarathiel and Raguel…” Raphael said his face closed off from the emotions of naming the five of the original seven hit him hard.

Semyaza leaned back looking at him. “Interesting to see that they are all working together again… but not with you this time Raphael… has Phanuel joined in yet or is he continuing to stick his head in the sand?” He replied noting his demeanor.

Raphael shook his head. “He said he isn’t getting involved, with either side.”

Semyaza snorted and shook his head tipping it back as he looked at the ceiling. Nothing had changed. It was the same thing over and over again. With a tired sigh he looked back at Raphael. “How close has Gabriel gotten to Samael?”

Raphael sighed and glanced at Sandalphon. “Close enough, it seemed to escalate after Azrael failed the final time, Gabriel stepped in and took his place as his second in command.”

Semyaza gritted his teeth. “What is in it for him this time?”

Sandalphon sighed and pulled out the file had been holding and handed it to Semyaza.

Semyaza opened the folder and started to read through the lists. It took him a few minutes to realize what he was seeing. Looking up at the two of them in shock he shook his head. “He’s doing it again?” his fear spiked for what was to come. He read through the list of names and places and knew instantly that they were actively going after the Fallen’s children and their families. 

“Why now?”

Raphael looked at Semyaza. “Because of Lydia. She took the power away from them that they had grown used to holding. They don’t have the mortal plane in their hands anymore… they must go through Lydia. They don’t like their playthings being taken away from them.” He said succinctly.

Semyaza sneered in disgust and stood up. “Get more scouts out there looking for them and for fucks sake make sure you keep the others from joining them.” He growled out and stalked out to the garden to calm down. They didn’t need another war.

He had to have a rational mind right then to make sure that he didn’t mess up. He had to be sure that Lydia was safe. That his son had the chance to have the life he never did. He heard the door shut from in the office and knew that they had left. He wasn’t surprised though when he heard footsteps coming out to join him.

“I would have thought you would have left with Raphael.” He whispered not bothering to look up, he knew those footsteps.

Sandalphon shook his head as he sat down on the bench next to Semyaza. “And leave you to stew in your own destructive thoughts? No… I’ll keep you company. Till we hear from Betelgeuse and Lydia and you can rest easy knowing that they are ok.” He said simply.

Semyaza nodded looking out at the garden and sighed. “We need to go to the sanctum; I don’t like that there hasn’t been an answer yet.” It was making him itch, knowing exactly why Gabriel had sided with Samael.

* * *

Betelgeuse looked at Lydia not sure he had heard her right. He moved toward her quickly, his hands going to her arms holding her still looking at her. “Repeat what you just said babes…” he said his voice rough.

Lydia looked at him her eyes widening at how fast he had reacted. “I…. uh… just that the book, said that I can bring back the souls from the Rift Plane.” She whispered her voice thick worried that this was something wrong, that made her powers corrupt.

Betelgeuse closed his eyes and wrapped her into his arms burying his face into her neck. “my darling beautiful wife…” he whispered his voice thick, he shook his head to get his head back on straight.

“Show me!" He grinned. "

Holy shit Lyds… do you know what this means?!” he rasped as the ramifications started to filtered into his brain, he needed to see it with his own two eyes. He was starting to wonder if this was the whole reason that Samael had been determined to make sure that none took the guardianship role. He would loose his ability to punish with the threat of banishment to the rift plane.

Lydia let out a giggle of relief when she realized that he wasn’t upset… he was excited. She slipped her hand into his and led him to the stairs, they quickly made it to her personal office and she went to one of the shelves beside her desk. Pulling the book out she opened it flipping through it till she found the relevant section and handed it to Betelgeuse.

Leaning over his shoulder slightly as he slumped down into the chair she pointed out where it started on the page. “See, right here.” She said drawing her finger over the text.

Betelgeuse felt a rush of hope as he read through it. It wasn’t something that she could just whip up though… she had to learn how to tap into the power that was used to banish the souls to the rift plane… but how in Hades could she learn to do that. His mind was rushing as he tried to figure it out. “Ok… so we know you can do this, just not now. Guess that means we’re gonna have to keep looking.”

He pulled her into his lap and smoothed his hands up over her arms. He let his head rest on her shoulder as he just held her. He could feel her heart racing in her chest, the warmth from her skin radiating out and sinking into his. He nuzzled her neck gently and smiled when he felt her fingers in his hair. He was still getting used to how much he could feel now. It sent a wash of shivers through him and he chuckled softly into her neck.

“Tickles.” He whispered, his voice was raspy and rough.

Lydia smiled as she shifted in his lap slightly and reached down to his chin lifting it so that she could see his face. She let her fingertips trace over his jaw, feeling the scruff and then let them drift up to brush gently over his lips. She could see his eyes, so blue and expressive watching her every move. She finally gave in and leaned in kissing him slowly. Her hand coming to rest on the side of his face.

Betelgeuse hadn’t expected this when he’d pulled her to his lap, hoped for? Sure. He wasn’t going to stop and analyze it that’s for damn sure.

He leaned into the kiss, his hands going to her hips as he held her tight to him. He could hear the creaking of the chair under them, but he didn’t care. His hand slipped around her thigh squeezing lightly as he deepened the kiss. He could taste the tea she had been drinking earlier and something that was all her. It drove him to distraction.

Lydia could feel the pent-up emotions building between them as she kissed him back with just as much enthusiasm. A whispered moan slipped out as she shifted on his lap, his hand slipping over to squeeze her thigh. She shivered and pushed into the touch. They both were so completely wrapped up in each other that they didn’t hear the door open from downstairs, or their names being called out.

Lydia whispered into Betelgeuse’s ear. “Let’s take this somewhere else… before we break the chair.” She tipped her head back as he kissed up the smooth skin of her neck. Another ominous creak of the chair had her gripping his shoulders tightly with a breathy giggle.

Betelgeuse was just about to pop them to her bedroom when he heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. “Hold that thought babes… someone’s here.” He said slipping her off of his lap and moved to stand in front of her, keeping himself between her and the door.

Semyaza climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and stopped when he heard whispering. Was he too late? He glanced at Sandalphon and reached for the door handle ready to attack the second that he had to. Turning the knob slowly and pushed the door open.

Betelgeuse could feel the tension in the air as the door slowly opened. Only when he realized it was Semyaza and Sandalphon could he drop his guard and let out a breath of relief.

“Are you two fucking kidding me.” He grumbled and turned to Lydia a full-on pout slipping over his face as he leaned in and whispered to her. “We are going to continue this once they are gone.” He said his voice laced with promise.

Lydia’s face flushed hotly as she cleared her throat, looking up at the two that seemed to interrupt them at every turn. “Is there something wrong, we hadn’t expected any visitors for a bit, we’re still getting everything settled here.”

Semyaza closed his eyes bracing for Betelgeuse’s rage that he had no doubt would follow after he told them. “Unfortunately, its not a pleasant reason I am here.” He glanced at the letter box on the back of the door and saw that the paper was still in it. “I had sent you a missive… but I guess you were busy.” He said glancing at his son before he held himself up straighter.

“Samael has escaped with the help of Gabriel; in the process of his escape he killed six guards and now has disappeared.”

The silence around them was defining. He could see the clench of Betelgeuse’s jaw and knew that it was only a matter of time before he lashed out.

“How, is that even fucking possible! Or were the guards so lax on purpose because they really didn’t want to imprison him to begin with!” he snarled.

Lydia was quiet as the panic and fear started to swell through out her. She clenched her hands into fists as she tried to hold back the way her energy wanted to lash out. She hadn’t mastered that ability to hold it all in yet… and now. She reached for Betelgeuse knowing that just having him there would help her stay grounded… but with the way that his own emotions were raging through him, seeping through their bond and amplifying hers. Her shaky control shattered.

Every glass vase in the room exploded with phenomenal force, the glass pulverized into a shimmering mist blowing into the air.

Betelgeuse froze only for a split second before he quickly pulled Lydia to him wrapping his arms around her and shielding her from any glass as it showered around them.

Semyaza’s eyes widened at the display of power that just rocked through the room. He waved his hand ridding the room of the glass shards and moved slowly toward the two of them. “Are the two of you alright?” he asked carefully, Sandalphon at his side wringing his hands worryingly.

Betelgeuse slowly pulled back and looked down at Lydia who had curled herself into his chest. Her eyes were closed tightly as she fought to bring herself under control.

“It’s ok love, everything is ok… just breath.” He whispered and rubbed the small of her back gently and continued to whisper into her ear. “We will get the wards up on the sanctum… just like at dear ol dads… only he will be able to come in.” he assured her and glanced up at his father his eyes narrowing for him to get working on the wards.

Semyaza nodded and pulled back quickly. “Of course, I’ll get them up, just rest.” He said still visibly shaken as he and Sandalphon slipped out of the room and headed downstairs to start setting the wards.

Betelgeuse turned his attention back to Lydia and carefully tipped her chin up so that he could check her face making sure that she wasn’t hurt. “There’s my girl, lets see those eyes babes.” He whispered and watched carefully as she opened her eyes.

He could see the sheen of tears welling up and he shook his head. “Awe, now…. None of that... no reason for tears.” He said cupping her face gently.

“You’ve got every right to be pissed and lash out… those fucking feather dusters had one fucking job to do and they failed at it.” He said seriously.

“But I swear to every fucking god, goddess, deity whatever is out there pulling the fucking strings… I will not lose you; I will not let him get another chance at taking you away from me.” He could feel his own fear sneaking up on him and he pushed it down ruthlessly.

Lydia let herself sink into Betelgeuse’s arms and nodded somberly into his chest. “I believe you.” She whispered and glanced around at the plants now laying with out vases on the floor through out the office. “I can’t believe I did that.” She whispered and wiped at her eyes trying still to keep the tears away.

Betelgeuse looked to see what she was seeing and waved his hand replacing the vases and righting all the plants. “There ya go babes… all right as rain again.” He kissed the top of her head. “Come on, let’s get some tea and I’ll help dear ol’ pops with the wards… two are better than one after all.” He pulled her close to him tucking her into his side as he popped them to the kitchen.

They had work to do.


	20. Chapter 20

Lydia looked back and forth between Betelgeuse and Semyaza… she could see so many similarities between them now, especially since Betelgeuse had started to change… but the temper and the stubbornness. They were standing toe to toe, getting closer and closer to each other, both having the same look on their faces showing her that neither of them was going to give in.

Of course, it was because they both felt that they were right.

It was going to become an issue very quickly if someone or something didn’t step in. Drawing in a deep breath she stood up and put herself bodily in between the two.

“Alright, nothing is getting done, you two have been at this for hours.” She said finally, the exhaustion in her voice seeping through.

“The wards are airtight, nothing and no one is going to get in unless we let them in… as for the ones looking for my help specifically, they’ll just have to wait a bit longer till all of this is resolved. That’s all there is to it.” She said crossing her arms over her chest effectively ending the conversation.

Betelgeuse sighed and looked at Lydia, he could see that this was wearing on her and the dark circles under her eyes not the only sign showing she was done. “Yeah, you’re right babes.”

He said and turned to step into her space, wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her relaxing into him and sighed kissing the top of her head. “Why don’t you go and get yourself a nice bath… me and ol’ pops here will finish up and I’ll bring something up for dinner.”

He really didn’t want to stress her out anymore than she was, he knew that she was still drained after exploding all the vases in her office earlier that day. If he had more time to stop and think about what all had happened, he’d be really fucking impressed… but now, the only thing on his mind was making sure that no one, and he meant _no one_ could get past the wards to the sanctum.

Not even Sandalphon could get through or any archangel, fallen or demon could get in unless Lydia herself brought them through.

Semyaza could come through on the loophole that he and Betelgeuse were family and the wards recognized that.

Lydia sighed and nodded into Betelgeuse’s chest. “Yeah, ok…” she whispered and turned toward the stairs with a groan. Four flights of stairs to get to her room. “B… next thing to fix is the elevator…” she mumbled and then slowly trudged up the stairs leaning on the railing as she went.

She was falling in love with the old house more and more each day. Even more so when she found out that it was build during the French Gothic era in city… it fit her.

Her hand slid up the banister taking in the dark wood that was still so smooth under her hands. It was amazing how well everything had stood up to the test of time… she wondered if it had anything to do with how much magic and energy saturated the place. With a soft smile she finally made it to her floor, walking in she went straight past her bed and stripped as she made it into the bathroom.

She reached out turning the water on, hearing the rumble of the pipes as the hot water poured out. She closed her eyes and just relaxed for a few seconds just concentrating on the sounds of the water. Reaching down she adjusted the temperature of the taps and then picked up the small bottle of bath oil she had always used. She opened it and put a cap full under the running water and relaxed as the smell of lavender, vanilla and sandalwood filled the room. Pinning her hair up she carefully laid her robe at the end of the tub. Carefully she stepped in reaching out to steady herself as she slowly sank down into the heavily water.

The loud moan echoed in the bathroom as she stretched out in the water. The heat sinking into her sore muscles relaxed her more than any massage could ever hope to. She cracked open her eye and reached out with her foot to shut the water off after it got up to her neck.

Draping her arms over the side of the tub she closed her eyes and let the quiet soothe her anxious mind. So many things had been racing through her thoughts all day and now that she knew that the wards would keep her safe, she let her guard down for the first time in days.

* * *

Betelgeuse stood there and waited till he heard the door shut to Lydia’s floor before he rounded on Semyaza. Holding his finger up to point at him he narrowed his eyes.

“What were you holding back earlier… you know something. And I wanna know what it is before it blows up in our fucking faces.” He growled out.

Semyaza sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter.

“The problem is, I don’t know if any of the archangels that are siding with Samael know what you are.” He said finally. It had been something that he had got Sandalphon to gently ask around about. “IF they don’t, that is something that we can use to our advantage.”

Betelgeuse narrowed his eyes again sensing there was a lot more to it than that. “I’m sensing a big o’but there ol’ man.” He forced out trying hard to keep his temper in check. All day of the back and forth between them had worn his patience thin.

Semyaza narrowed his own eyes at his son and clenched his teeth, it was hard to remind himself that it was tiredness and stubbornness that was setting Betelgeuse on edge. And he couldn’t blame him for that. But the fact that he was just as stubborn as he was, was jarring to say the least.

“If they do know, they will use that against all of us if the Dominion or the Principalities decide to step in.” he said knowing that the higher ups felt that any offspring from either Fallen or Archangels were unnatural and unless there were extenuating circumstances.

All the air and fight went out of Betelgeuse as he slumped against the wall looking at his father. “They won’t step in; they are too busy being better than everyone to sully their hands on us lowly beings.” He said trying to convince himself.

Semyaza could see that Betelgeuse knew exactly what was at stake now. “I think, that if it comes down to it, the fact that you are bonded to a guardian… will help.” He conceded even though he himself wasn’t as sure if that would help them or not. Right now, he was more worried about were Samael was and what he was doing to try and regain the power he had lost.

Betelgeuse could feel his worry pick up again and he tried hard to not let it weigh on his mind. He knew that as soon as he stepped foot around Lydia, she’d be able to pick up on it. He knew that she needed some time to come to grips with all of this.

“So what do we do in the meantime, I know you have your little scouts out looking for Samael, you going to see if the Dominion or Principalities have gotten wind of all this?” he felt that if they knew before hand they would have a better chance of getting ahead of it and working things to their benefit.

Semyaza snorted at Betelgeuse and shook his head. “You know I do; nothing will be left to chance. I’ll head out for the night, if anything happens here, let me know and if anything happens on my end, I’ll come directly to you.” He assured him.

Betelgeuse saluted him and nodded. “Do that.” He said and watched as Semyaza disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

Samael looked back over his shoulder as he slipped into another darkened doorway Gabriel behind him. They both had donned dark hooded cloaks hiding their features from those who would out them. He knew that Gabriel was uneasy about where they were at, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Keep your hood up and your mouth shut while we are in here.” He growled out.

Gabriel nodded silently and followed behind Samael as they made their way to the bar. Just being in this place had every bit of him on high alert. This was not a place for ethereal beings.

Samael smirked as he sidled up to the bar. He could feel Gabriel hovering behind him. “You are a hard Demon to track down when you don’t want to be found.” He said uncaring of the growl emanating from the demon next to him. “Arioch.”

“You have no right to be here Samael, do you wish to be gutted and strung about for enjoyment?” he snarled.

Samael chuckled darkly. “Now…now, is that really how you want to talk to someone that is going to give you a job of vengeance that will sate your bloodlust for the next hundred centuries.” He played with the glass sitting in front of him, playing up to the Demon of Vengeance.

Arioch turned and faced the High Archangel and glared at him. “You have two seconds to tell me what you think I am going to be interested in doing before I rip your head from your shoulders.” He growled, his voice dark with the promise of following through with his threat.

Samael leaned in slightly so that he could have all of Arioch’s attention. “There has been a new necromancer that has awakened, she and her bonded are in my way. I want them gone. What you do with them is completely up to you. I just want them out of the way so that I can continue about my business.” His voice was thin from the restrained hate that radiated through him at the mere thought of the two of them.

Arioch arched his eyebrow and reached out closing his hand around Samael’s throat. “Do you deem me stupid Archangel… why would I go after a Necromancer… they would disintegrate me in a second if I would try to go after them or their bonded.” He growled out.

Samael laughed uncaring of the hand at his throat. “She knows nothing of her power, and her bonded could care less about her cultivating it…”

Arioch narrowed his eyes as his hand tightened around Samael’s throat. “There is something more, I can smell the deceit rolling off of you, you stink of it.” he accused.

Samael pulled back away from Arioch’s hand and tipped his head to the side watching the Demon. “The necromancer is of my blood… unfortunately she feels I am better of dead than to serve me as a proper child should do of their parent.” He weaved his words carefully.

Arioch’s expression didn’t change till a slow rolling smirk slipped over his face. “Oh, I see now… well then that changes it all… I’ll do it on one condition.” He said leaning back slightly as he picked up his glass and drained the contents.

“She is mine, to do with as I please… and when I am finished with her, I will send you her body, maybe in one piece.” He said watching to see if there was any reaction.

Samael smirked. “It’s a deal… you hold up your end of the bargain and you will be rewarded… well.” He stood up and then leaned back into Arioch’s space. “Be sure to take care of her bonded first, or there will be difficulties in attaining your… entertainment.”

Arioch nodded and then watched as Samael started to slip away into the crowd. “Where am I supposed to find her.” He asked before he disappeared.

Samael’s voice came through the crowd as he blended in. “In New York of course…”


	21. Chapter 21

It took Betelgeuse longer than he expected to calm himself down completely after Semyaza left. He didn’t want to bombard Lydia with everything that was bouncing around in his head.

He looked toward the hallway and the stairwell and decided that he’d walk up the stairs instead of popping himself into Lydia’s room as he usually did. He slowly started for the stairs and sighed. He had so much on his mind.

This was not at all what he had envisioned when he had thought back to rescuing Lydia. None of this would have occurred to him, not even in his wildest nightmares.

As he slowly took each step he realized that he felt, adrift. Like someone much more powerful and omniscient was just pulling all their strings for their own amusement… it didn’t sit well with him. He could feel that bundle of emotions in the pit of his stomach and he wasn’t sure how to deal with them anymore. This was all new to him, the depth of what he could feel now was staggering. Before, he felt the echoes of what he had felt when he’d been alive, because that was what he remembered feeling. But now… this.

He stopped outside Lydia’s bedroom door. He could smell the bath oil she used, drawing in a slow deep breath he let himself just…feel. It was overwhelming and scary. But at the same time, the amount of love that he felt for this woman was more than he could comprehend. How was it that you could feel that for someone, and not lose who you were?

He slipped into the room silently not wanting to disturb Lydia’s bath and stopped when he saw the full length mirror in the corner.

Walking slowly up to it he sighed seeing his reflection. It was something he was still getting used to having. He moved over to the mirror, his hand going to his hair as he ran his fingers through it, trying to tame the wildness. He was concentrating so hard on his hair because he didn’t want to take the time to really look at himself.

It scared him.

It scared him because he had changed so much that he didn’t recognize who he was anymore. He wanted to slam his fist against the mirror, shatter the image.

Maybe… maybe if he could see himself broken, shattered beyond repair…

He’d know who he was again.

His shoulders slumped as he let out a ragged sigh.

Who was he now?

* * *

Lydia finished up the bath and slowly released the plug watching as the water drained. She stood up and reached for her towel drying herself off before slipped her fluffy robe on. Cinching it around her waist she smiled at her reflection. She looks so much better now, no longer the gaunt sickly patient from the psych ward. She looked… human and she felt better than she had in a long time.

She shut the light off in the bathroom and cracked the door open seeing that Betelgeuse was standing infront of the mirror, the look on his face though nearly brought her to her knees.

He looked so lost.

There were tears running down his cheeks unchecked.

She slipped up behind him her hands smoothing down over his back as she leaned in and kissed his shoulder. “ Oh B…” she whispered.

She turned him around slowly so that he had his back facing the mirror and she looked up at him, the lost look in his eyes had her hand trembling slightly as she lifted it and cupped his cheek.

“Who am I Lyds… what am I… I” he stopped and dropped his head down into her hand.

Lydia brushed her fingers over his cheek wiping away the dampness from the tears that had been slipping down his face. “Shh… you are Betelgeuse, you are my bonded, my husband, my protector.” She whispered.

“What you are… doesn’t matter. What matters is that you realize that you are the most powerful being in all three planes… and I will always be at your side.” She assured him, cupping his face again so that he would look at her.

  
“You are who you should have been from the beginning… just as I am who I was fated to be from my birth.” She smiled gently. “The two of us… we’re unstoppable B… but you have to believe in yourself… as much as you believe in me.”

  
Betelgeuse knew all of this… but knowing it and believing it was taking a bit longer for him to connect the two.

Maybe it would happen… and maybe it would happen faster with Lydia at his side. He nodded into her hand and leaned in kissing her gently on the forehead, he moved down and kissed the tip of her nose and smiled when she giggled. 

“Just keep reminding me of that there Babes… I’ll get it through my thick skull eventually.”

Lydia smiled glad to see that the lost look in his eyes was gone. “I will… every single day if I have to.” She smiled and let her hand slip down over his neck to the collar of his shirt.

It felt like they had been together for a lifetime, but they were still learning what that meant. They had been tip toeing around each other since they had settled down in the Sanctum. Tonight felt… different.

The air was charged with something he couldn’t put his finger on… and he found the longer he gazed into her eyes… he didn’t want to question it. Tugging her toward him as he brushed the hair that had escaped the clip back from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. He carefully tipped her chin up so that he could look her in the eyes and leaned in kissing her with as much tenderness that he could manage.

He could feel her heart racing beneath his hand still caressing the side of her neck and when the feeling of her mouth slowly moving against his he pulled her the rest of the way against him. He moaned softly, the heat and feel of her more intoxicating than anything in any realm.

She was his in every way now, and he was going to show her that.

Sweeping her off her feet and into his arms, he never broke away from her, his mouth moving down her neck as he carried her to their bed. Laying her down with a gentleness he wasn’t even aware he had he took the time to brush his fingertips down over her cheek to her neck.

“B….” she whispered as she reached for him to pull him down to her.

He unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off dropping it to the floor and moved in closer, hovering over her before carefully slipping between her legs. Her hands moving up to his chest and sliding up around his neck pulling him down for another heady kiss.

He let his hand move up the length of her thigh, pushing her robe up as he did. He got to her hip and let out a loud moan. She wasn’t wearing anything under it. “You naughty minx.” He growled into her neck. He bit down on the silky skin and could feel her heart flutter.

Lydia laughed breathlessly, her whole body flushing hotly. “I just got out of the bath, what did you expect.” She rasped out, gasping as he touched her.

His hand moved up and untied the robe slowly, letting it fall open. His rough and calloused hand cupped her breast, his thumb brushing gently over her hardened nipple. He swallowed her gasping moan with a kiss. His thumb moving in soft circles over the sensitive skin.

He tucked his head down, and captured her breast with his mouth, his tongue flicking over the pebbled nub. She arched up into his mouth with a raspy moan and he slipped his hand under the small of her back lifting her to him more. It would take nothing, and he could slide into her right then, but he wanted her to shatter under his touch first.

Lydia could feel the pleasure rushing through her at each flick of Betelgeuse’s tongue. She moaned and pushed up more into his mouth wanting to chase that feeling. She wrapped her legs around his thighs, feeling the rough material of his pants still on. She whimpered and slipped her hands down undoing the button on his pants.

“Off.” She rasped out wanting to feel him completely.

There was something surging in her chest, a tug of desperation that she hadn’t felt since the day that he had found her. She knew instinctively it was their bond… wanting to be fulfilled.

“Please, Betelgeuse…” his name rolled off her lips in a sultry whisper. She nearly blushed at her own wantonness.

Betelgeuse was nearly undone at the tone of Lydia’s voice. He moaned and nipped at her skin on her collar bone before he lifted and leaned back on his knees. He undid the button of his pants and slowly eased the zipper down careful not to catch himself. That’d be a hell of a way to kill the mood real fucking fast.

Lydia leaned up on her elbows, uncaring of how on display she was now that her robe was hanging open. Her eyes were on Betelgeuse’s hands slowly, teasingly unzipping his pants. Her eyes widened slightly as her cheeks flushed.

He was… bigger than she’d imagined.

It didn’t deter her one bit. She bit her lip to keep from giggling like an idiot when he snapped his fingers and his pants appeared on the floor next to his shirt. She kept herself propped up on her elbows as he moved back up over her. She could feel the warmth he was putting off now. It was so different that what she had been used to before, but this, this was something that she had no problem with. She leaned up nipping at his bottom lip urging him on for more.

Betelgeuse leaned down on his elbows and whispered into Lydia’s neck. “We don’t have to do this all the way right now if you aren’t ready to love.” He reassured her, not wanting to push her into this if she wasn’t ready.

Lydia knew that her face was still pink but instead of answering him with words she lifted her hips, her leg wrapping around his thigh as she pulled him down to her. Letting his hard length brush against her slick center. She let out a whimpering moan feeling the rush of anticipation mixing with a flash of pleasure at just that simple touch.

“Fucking shit babes.” He moaned and slowly started to rock against her, not pushing in just yet. He leaned down capturing her mouth with his, distracting her with a slow kiss as his hand moved to cup her breast again, his thumb teasing over her nipple. He’d seen how she had reacted to that a few minutes ago… he wanted to make sure that this was perfect for her.

Lydia panted into his mouth her hands moving up to his back to hold on as she felt a rush of arousal slam into her, the feeling of it slowly starting to spiral in her stomach and moving to every nerve ending had her wanting to beg for more. She was dizzy with need as the feelings and sensations were starting to bleed together, winding tighter.

“Please… please… more.” She begged, her voice cracking.

Her begging is what did him in. Betelgeuse moaned as he slipped his hand down under her, lifting her hips up as he slowly started to push himself into her tight wet heat. He dropped his head down to her shoulder clenching his eyes shut tight as he fought to keep control of himself.

He stopped before he even halfway in and knew that this was the point of no return… for the both of them. 

He lifted his head and looked down at her, his eyes searching hers for any hesitance or regret.

All he saw was the raw desire and need mirrored back at him.

He leaned back down his lips brushing over her ear as he gripped her hips tightly and just as he pushed the rest of the way in, he whispered. “I love you.”

Lydia’s back arched hard as the pressure of feeling herself filled for the first time washed through her. She let out a whimpering moan, biting her bottom lip to keep from yelling out. It was more than she had ever thought it would be… but she wanted more.

“I love you too… Please… move.” She gasped out.

Betelgeuse let out a raspy breath as his body trembled at the restraint of keeping himself in control. He slowly started to move, slipping almost all the way out before he was moving back into her. He started up a slow and easy rhythm smiling into her neck when he felt her starting to hesitantly move with him.

“That’s it love… show me what you like.” He bit down lightly on her skin as she moaned.

Lydia’s hands flew to Betelgeuse’s back holding onto him as she started to move, she could feel that tightening in her stomach starting to spread, the heat coiling tighter and tighter. 

She wanted it.

She was so close.

  
“Please… fuck… m’so close B…” She begged for more of something she wasn’t sure she needed to reach that peak.

Betelgeuse chuckled deeply and rasped out into her neck. “Hold on babes… gonna take ya to the stars.” His hands on her hips tightened as he started to roll his hips slightly before he pulled back, snapping into her harder this time. He could feel her body tightening around him and he knew how close she was. He was barely holding on as it was.

He slipped his hand between them, his thumb just barely brushing over her clit as he snapped his hips into her again angling himself just right.

Lydia felt the sensations change at his touch and then the heat and coiling tightness of pleasure snapped.

She held her breath as the waves of pleasure crashed over her, her hands flying to the bed sheets and gripped them tightly in her fists. Her hips shuttered as they bucked into him taking him deeper than before.

Betelgeuse had fought hard to hold back till he felt Lydia reach her peak… but the second that her body tightened almost painfully around him, what little control he had shattered, his hips shuttered as he pushed into her one last time, his own climax taking him by surprise as it slammed into him, washing through him like he had been struck by lightning.

He gasped as he felt the bond between them snap in place, surging through them both like a tidal wave of emotions and sensations. He collapsed down on his elbows holding himself shakily up over her. His body trembling. He carefully slipped out of her and moved to stretch out along side Lydia and tucked her into his side. Holding her as she came down from her own rush.

Lydia buried her face into Betelgeuse’s chest and squeezed her eyes shut tight. It was so much… she was feeling so much right then. She had felt the bond strengthen and snap into place. She could feel now exactly how much Betelgeuse loved her.

It was staggering.

Her body was shaking as she tried to filter through everything, the sensations of her orgasm still lingering in little shocks as she moved her legs. She laughed softly at how amazing it felt, she could still feel her heart beating in every inch of her body.

“If that’s how good it is every time… we are never leaving the bedroom.” She lifted her head to look at Betelgeuse and smiled before she leaned in kissing him softly.

Betelgeuse grinned lazily and nuzzled her neck. “You’re the boss babes….” He snapped his fingers and the blankets came up around them tucking them in.

* * *

Arioch pulled his cloak around his shoulders tighter as he lifted his hand to take the cigarette out of his mouth. His eyes narrowed as he looked down the street looking for this… sanctum where the little necromancer had taken up her guardianship.

He could feel the power dancing along his skin as he got closer to it.

A few streets down he stopped and tipped his head to the side as he studied the building in front of him. It was old… and held no indication that it was anything other than a normal boring dwelling. Until he felt the rippling power slipping out from the wards.

Oh, how he could taste it. The bitterness and darkness that coiled in the ancient power centered in one tiny, mortal slip of a woman.

_So enticing_. 

His jaws snapped shut as he leaned against the tree across the street from the sanctum, the power was just ripe for the plucking.

He drew a long draw from the cigarette, the cherry lighting up the darkness as he started to plot how to get the little bitch out of the wards and into his grasp.


	22. Chapter 22

Raphael leaned back at his desk looking over the latest report he’d gotten back from his scouts looking for Samael.

He tapped his fingers on the desktop, deciding on what to do with this information. Standing up he sent a missive to Semyaza. He knew that it would be an interesting reaction to having the Leader of the Fallen come to the Empyrean. It was time to show all that there was to be no more divisions. If they wanted to make things work, they had to work together.

It was the first time after all, that the mortal plane had a guardian.

Leaning back, he waited hoping that he hadn’t caught Semyaza at a bad time.

* * *

Lydia woke slowly, the sunlight filtering through the curtains of her bedroom. She rolled slowly toward the center of the bed and then smiled when she rolled into Betelgeuse. Snuggling up to him she let her hand rest on his chest, brushing her fingertips over the skin. Her mind going back over the memories from the night before. She could feel the heat in her own cheeks as she blushed remembering how it had been.

It hadn’t been just the first time either she was thinking about that brought the color to her cheeks but remembering how the second time she’d taken more of a proactive role… wanting to see how it was with her being in control. It had been empowering, having him under her, her movements dictating how their coupling went. Seeing Betelgeuse lose himself in her movements had turned her on more than she had ever imagined it would.

So far into her own thoughts Lydia hadn’t realized that he had woken up till he chuckled softly.

Slipping his hand down to clasp hers he brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. “Morning babes… how ya feeling?” he rasped out his voice thick with sleep. He turned on his side pulling her close to him and just wrapped around her.

Lydia smiled into his chest as he moved her, and she sighed contently. “A bit sore… but nothing a nice hot shower wouldn’t take care of.” She admitted softly. Her face was still pink, and she wondered if this was how she was going to be feeling all day.

“Want to get into the books again today, see if I can figure anything more out about the Rift Plane and what I’m supposed to do.” 

Betelgeuse grinned and kissed her forehead seeing her blushing. It was too cute.

“You do whatever you want to do, and make list for the grocery, we can go out later today if you want, I figure it would be best to go out in the middle of the day, easier to keep an eye on people gettin too close.” He wished that it would easier to just stay in the sanctum, but he didn’t want Lydia to feel like she was trapped and a prisoner to her own home. That wasn’t a way to live, especially after the whole debacle with the mental hospital and what she had went through there.

Lydia’s eyes lit up at the prospect of getting to leave the house. “We should do that this morning then; you know do the whole farmers market thing.”

She laughed at how un-Lydia it was for her to say something like that… but it was an adult thing to do. And to be honest, she wanted out of the house and to be able to be a real couple with Betelgeuse… do things that other husbands and wives did… and now that she knew that he was visible and tangible to other humans. She didn’t want to keep him cooped up in the house either.

That was another thing that they needed to figure out… they lived in the modern age, they needed to be able to have access to everyday things. That meant, they needed some sort of internet service and phones. And she wasn’t going to lie, having cable was something that she missed. Getting to just veg out over some dumb shows had been something of her own escape.

“Need to figure out some phones and cable and internet things too… you know, those things that all these humans now a days has.” She teased him and then started to giggle into his chest at the thought of him having a cell phone.

Betelgeuse could feel the butterflies in his stomach at the sound of her giggles. It was something that he had never known he would enjoy… happiness.

“Sure thing Babes… I’ll leave that to you though, you know what you want and what you need… you have all your financial stuff now.” 

He sat up and ran his hand through his hair before he looked down at his wife. She was well and truly his now.

Lydia could feel his eyes on her and she felt the heat rising to her cheeks once again. Was she ever going to get over blushing all the time! She rolled out of bed and stood there looking at him, her arms crossing over her chest giving her a false sense of modesty. “I am going to take a shower… you of course could join me… if you aren’t afraid of a little soap that is.” She teased him and then turned her back to him to head for the bathroom.

She stepped in and flipped the light on before she reached in and adjusted the taps. The steam was just starting to fog up the mirror when she stepped into the hot spray. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head back with a smile. The aches and tenderness slowly starting to fade as the hot water cascaded over her.

Betelgeuse laid there on the bed watching Lydia as she walked into the bathroom admiring her ass from where he was at. He smirked as he slipped out of bed. It was funny that she thought that he was opposed to showers… it was just easier for him to snap himself clean. Not a lot of amenities in the underworld unless you make it for yourself.

He slipped out of the bed silently walking to the bathroom. He could feel the steam as soon as he stepped in and the smell of the bath oil that had lingered in the tub from the night before. He snapped himself silently into the shower behind Lydia and wrapped his arms around her kissing up her neck. “What was that babes…” he nipped at her neck with a grin.

Lydia nearly jumped when she felt Betelgeuse’s arms around her but sank into it when he started to kiss her neck. She lifted her arms and slipped her hands around the back of his head pulling him down to her more.

“Never said a word.” She teased and then turned so that she was facing him and leaned up kissing him deeply as the water slipped over them. “As much as I want to try and see if shower sex is as amazing as the movies… I’ve read too many real-life accidents that keeps me from wanting to try.” She grinned and stepped back.

“But, now that you are in here, want to wash my hair for me?” she held out the shampoo bottle.

Betelgeuse tried to put on a pout, but he couldn’t, not when he was still getting to touch her. Even if it was just a simple thing like helping her wash her hair. He took the bottle from her and poured a liberal amount in to the palm of his hand before he motioned with his other hand for her to turn around.

“Get that ass back here and let me get you all lathered up.” He leered.

“How is it that with something as simple as washing my hair, you still manage to make it sound like a porn line in a movie.” She asked, tipping her head back into his hands as he worked the shampoo through her hair, massaging her head. She let out a soft moan of pleasure. “That feels so good B…”

Betelgeuse let out a low chuckle. “I’m just that good babes.” He whispered into her ear and then gently led her back into the spray of water rinsing the suds out. He reached for the body wash and poured some in the fancy wash thing and rubbed it between his hands getting a good lather up with it and then smiled as he carefully started to wash down over her body. He took the time to be gentle and not miss a single inch.

“You keep this up, I’ll never want to do anything for myself.” Lydia whispered giving herself over to Betelgeuse’s capable hands.

Betelgeuse kissed her temple and pulled back as he pushed her gently toward the spray again to rinse off. “Ain’t that what a husband’s supposed to do… take care of his misses and all that.” He asked his voice still quiet seeing how relaxed Lydia was.

Lydia’s smile turned up at the corner of her mouth as she finished rinsing off and then reached out to Betelguese a devious smile slipping out. “Mmm, I don’t know, you are the only husband I’ve ever had… should I go out and get another one and let you know.” She teased and then grabbed the soap and smoothed her hands over his chest.

Betelgeuse arched his eyebrow at her and then leaned in growling into her ear. “If you are already talkin’ about another man… maybe I didn’t do my job properly last night.” He said as he let his hand brush down over her breast teasingly.

Lydia’s eyes widened and she shivered as the rush of arousal spiked through her. She narrowed her eyes at him and pinched his hip. “I’m starting to think that you are being distracting for a reason, because you don’t want to go shopping.” Not that she wasn’t interesting in repeating the night before… but she needed to get out of the house, be around others…. Humans.

Betelgeuse pouted. “Damn, you’ve found me out.” He teased and then with a snap had them both back in the bedroom, the shower shut off and the both of them wrapped in a towel.

“No more distractions… got it.” He saluted her and then leaned in giving her a hard kiss nipping at her bottom lip. “Just that last one… promise.” He grinned and then with another snap he was dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a white button up dress shirt. Something he’d seen all the mortal men wearing. He’d leave his signature stripes for special occasions.

Lydia just shook her head and dropped the towel before she headed over to her dresser to get dressed. Pulling on a simple pair of leggings and sweater she pulled her hair up into a ponytail since Betelgeuse had been kind enough to dry it for her. She glanced over at him and smiled seeing him sitting and waiting patiently on the edge of the bed. She put a touch of make up on and then walked over to him brushing her hand over his cheek gently.

“I love you.” She whispered and then leaned in kissing him softly. “Lets get some coffee and bagels… I am starving.”

Betelgeuse laughed softly and nodded standing up his hand slipping into hers as he popped them down to the front entry way. Who needed steps anyway. Pushing open the door he was accosted by how bright the sunlight was. “Damn sun.” He muttered and with a snap had a pair of sunglasses on. He wigged his eyebrows up at Lydia.

“How do I look now babes… cool enough for New York?”

Lydia laughed and slipped her hand into his after grabbing her purse and slipping it over her head and shoulder. “You look like I should take you back upstairs.” She teased and tugged him down the stairs before he could retort.

They had just started down the sidewalk when the hair on the back of her neck stood up and she frowned looking behind them. She could see other couples, and random people walking around them, going about their own business… nothing that would make her feel so uneasy. She bit her lip and glanced up at Betelgeuse.

“You feel that?” She questioned still trying to unobtrusively look around to see who or what was setting off the bad feelings.

Betelgeuse took a second to let himself feel the energy of all the people and things around them as they walked. He tried to make sure he was acting normal so not to draw attention to whatever was following them. He frowned when he kept getting almost a breeze of energy… coming from something or someone. He couldn’t pinpoint it so that meant that it wasn’t that close. Thankfully.

“Probably just someone shopping.” He whispered softly hoping that this was true.

“You’ll find you are more sensitive to feeling out the non-mortals. You’d be surprised how many are just out trying to do the whole living thing like humans do.” He said trying to ease her mind.

Lydia nodded and stepped closer to Betelgeuse, as long as he was close and at her side, she would be safe. Drawing in a deep breath she tried to let go of the uneasy feeling. “You’re right, just anxious I guess being out of the house for the first time. But I do like the neighborhood.” She smiled seeing that there were a lot of people out walking around, it wasn’t so jammed packed people couldn’t walk.

She spied a bagel shop at the corner of the street and nudged Betelgeuse. “Breakfast.”

Betelgeuse wasn’t sure what the appeal of a bagel was for Lydia… it was chewy bread. But he wouldn’t turn down a cup of coffee. He was still getting used to being able to drink things and eat them and have an appetite for them. It was odd… but seeing Lydia enjoying things had him wanting to try as well. He followed her into the shop and drew in a breath, he could smell the freshly baked bagels and other odds and ends things, but the coffee… oh that sweet dark rich coffee.

It was just what he wanted.

They waited their turn in line and he stood back as Lydia ordered a bagel with cream cheese and then a cup of coffee, he added to the order with his own cup and paid for the lot at the register. He took the cup in his hand and leaned in whispering to Lydia with an impish smile.

“I get the coffee addiction now… and I completely am blaming you.” He teased before they headed back out of the shop. Looping his arm through hers he led her down the street to where he could see some tents set up in an empty lot.

“Ah… so that’s a farmers market. Huh. Interesting.”

Lydia laughed and tugged him toward the people.

“Exactly, which means fresh fruits and vegetables and who knows what else… better than any store.” She promised.

* * *

Arioch stayed back out of the reach of either of their ability to feel his energy. He pulled his jacket in around himself tighter concentrating as he concealed his energy. He needed to get closer.

Slipping around the crowd he stayed just out of their eyesight taking in their movements, how close they stayed to each other, how far away they would let the other before they reached out for each other… and what their weak spots would be.

It would only be a matter of time that he would be able to strike… until then, he had to scout them out. Learn who they were and then he would go in for the kill.

He leered slightly as he watched the woman turn toward him. The smirk that filled his face would have set anyone on edge had they been paying attention.

Oh, he couldn’t wait to get her into his hands… the fun he would have. That tiny slip of a women would be nothing when he finished with her.   
  



	23. Chapter 23

Semyaza looked over the missive again from Raphael and sighed with a slow shake of his head. This was going to cause some reactions for sure.

Snapping his fingers, he changed from his normal attire to that of his black and red traditional kesoto. He smirked slightly as he smoothed the material down over his arms and thought about how Lydia would have joked that he looked like some ancient Chinese emperor. In a way, he was… it was his duty to protect and have guardianship over the Fallen. His duty to protect Shangri La in the underworld.

With a sigh of irritation, he shook his shoulders letting his wings unfurl. His inky black wings glistening in the candlelight. It wasn’t often that he let his wings out unglamoured… mainly because he had gotten so used to not having them out on display.

He closed his eyes and snapped his fingers his destination fixed in his mind.

When he appeared he was in the center of Empyrean. The white marble fountain with depictions of past victories throughout the course of history. Funny how it was always the scenes of what they won… never the ones they lost.

History is always written by the winners, indeed.

He also knew that his appearance there would immediately set up the alarms and he stood waiting patiently for Raphael to show himself. It was time to let the rest of the Empyrean that there was no division between the two factions when it came to bringing Samael and his cohorts in.

A crowd was slowly starting to gather and he could hear the shouts and demands for him to be taken in.. but none stepped forward to do so… cowards, the lot of them.

He kept still as he stood watching out at the other Archangels and waited until he saw a pathway beginning to form. He smiled as he saw Raphael appearing and walking up to him. He bowed slightly not dropping his head their eyes never leaving each other’s.

“Raphael…” he nodded his head as he reached his hand out to shake it.

Raphael smirked and reached out to shake his hand, the audible gasp from the crowd behind him had him snorting. “You wanted this didn’t you.” He shook his head as they started to walk through the crowd and headed to the building where Raphael’s office was.

The leader of the Fallen and the de facto leader of the Archangels.

It was a sign for the others that the times were changing, and they would either accept it or be left behind.

Raphael smirked. “Of course, what better way to set precedent. Come we have a lot to talk about. I’ve come across some information.”

* * *

Betelgeuse was starting to regret the whole outing. His arms were laden down with all the packages from the ‘farmers market’. He snorted to himself. It should have been called come spend four times the amount on something because its ‘organic’. He sighed. He couldn’t be too upset though, the smile on Lydia’s face hadn’t left all morning.

Lydia glanced over at Betelgeuse and tried not to giggle too loudly. She knew that he was reaching the end of his patience with all their shopping. But she had found so many amazing things. She saw a booth out the way and smiled.

“Alright B… one last stop and we’ll go home, promise.” She said and stood up on her tip toes kissing him gently before she made her way through the thinning crowd.

The booth had gauzy material draped around it that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, dark purples, blacks and silvers threaded through it. She could feel herself almost pulled toward it and she smiled as she stepped in seeing the beautiful handcrafted jewelry. Crystals and stones seemed to dominate it all. The smell of incense was thick and made the back of her throat tingle slightly.

Lydia made her way through the booth, her hand reaching out to touch some of the more interesting pieces. She was definitely going to buy something here… she just had to find something that called to her. She was reaching out to brush her fingers over a beautiful amethyst pendant when she heard Betelgeuse behind her hiss in a sharp breath his hand reaching out to pull her behind him. 

She looked up startled. “B…“ she whispered seeing the pure loathing on his face had her swallowing her words.

“What the fuck are you doing here Pythias.” He growled out, the hate dripping from his words. “Thought you were banished from the mortal plane the last I heard.”

Lydia looked around Betelgeuse’s shoulder to an older woman that was sitting at the table behind her wares, her arms crossed over her chest as she held an air about her that was far older than she appeared. She took a step into Betelgeuse when the woman moved around her table and with a wave of her hands, the sounds of the people outside were shut off. A spike of fear rushed through her.

“I am here because I was sent here.” She said simply. “You have nothing to fear from me Betelgeuse.”

Betelgeuse didn’t let his guard down as he kept himself between Lydia and the Seer. “Me you say, but what about Lydia.” He growled out not missing her lapse in mentioning Lydia. He could feel himself getting more and more agitated.

Pythia looked over his shoulder at the woman and smiled, her eyes glistening with more knowledge than the cosmos. “I am here for her.” She said vaguely again. “You know the rules Betelgeuse.”

Betelgeuse growled again and turned slightly so that he could see Lydia to make sure that she was alright. “She’s a seer babes... one of the Sybils.” He turned back to Pythia. “But the question begs… why the fuck have they drug you out of the dark dredges of the underworld and sent you to New York of all places.”

Pythia reached out for a pendant and held it in her hand for a few moments waiting till it glowed slightly before she held it out to the two of them. “Maybe the question you should be asking Betelgeuse is who have I been sent here to guard against… take it, it will provide you a bit of time and protection against those who wish to see you unmade.” She said holding it out to Lydia.

Betelgeuse grumbled slightly and shifted to the side so that Lydia could take the pendant.

Lydia bit her lip and reached out taking the pendant… she felt a charge to it, her breath caught in her throat. “Oh…” she whispered and then handed it to Betelgeuse for him to put it on her.

“I thought seers told prophecies and could see the future.” She said softly feeling the weight of the pendant around her throat as it was fastened around her.

Pythia laughed softly. “I’ll come around for tea in the morning… we will have more to talk about then.” She assured them. “You both need to get back to the safety of the sanctum… there are too many variables for me to be more exact.” She said her eyes serious as she looked at Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse tensed up. “Fucking shit… keep the notice me not shit up“ he snapped out at Pythia and turned to Lydia. “I’m juicing us back home babes.” He growled out and quickly wrapped his arm around her making sure that all of their bags were with them and looked at the Seer one last time.

“Tomorrow then.” He nodded and pulled his energy in tight and snapped them home.

* * *

They landed in the entry way of the sanctum and Lydia let out a shaky breath. “Ok… explain to me exactly what that was all about because I have no fucking clue.” She said poking Betelgeuse on the chest, her hand shaking slightly showing how much that had shaken her.

Betelgeuse snapped and put away all their purchases before he tugged her gently toward the stairs to go to the kitchen. “I’ll explain, lets make some coffee or tea or whatever” he sighed hating that things were getting bigger and more out of his hands.

Lydia nodded and followed Betelgeuse up the stairs to their kitchen. Slipping her shoes off she picked up her slippers that Betelgeuse had handed her. They worked seamlessly as they started to make a pot of tea to share.

It wasn’t till she had a steaming hot cup in her hand and was sitting at the breakfast nook when Betelgeuse sat down next to her and kissed her temple before he sighed and started to talk.

“The Sybils are the Seers for the Dominions… a higher up faction that is supposed to be in charge of the archangels… but they have for centuries not given a flying fuck what those asshole feather dusters have done with the mortal plane. If Pythia has been sent to be a go between, between you and the Dominion… I…“ he stopped and looked down at his cup. “I have no idea what it means. I don’t know what will happen and that scares the fuck out of my Lyds.” He whispered reaching for her hand and squeezed it lightly.

“Maybe we’ll find out more tomorrow when she comes over for tea.” He knew that his wards would not be able to keep her out. She was an Ethereal being above his ability to ward against.

Lydia took in all that he was saying… and what he wasn’t saying. She could read his emotions clear as day as they filtered through their bond.

“I’ll be ok love… it might be a good thing if they have decided to step in and curb Samael once and for all.” She said hoping for the best, she was so tired of everything coming down on them all at once, she just wanted a damn break.

Betelgeuse sighed and took the cup from her hands and pulled her so that she was sitting across his lap. Her head naturally resting on his shoulder. “I promised you babes, that when we got here, I would do everything in my power to make sure that you are safe… I failed you once, I will end everything if I fail again.” He whispered thickly, the emotions hot and heavy.

Lydia lifted her head and cupped his face gently. “No… I want you to promise me something.” She whispered thickly as the tears welled up in her eyes. “If something ever happens to me… you will not end the entire fucking universe.” She whispered thickly. She knew that he would too. “You will find me in the underworld, and we will continue to love each other till the end of eternity.” She whispered.

Betelgeuse let his head rest against her forehead. He could feel her tears slipping down her chin and dropping on his chest. “I will try not to…” he whispered giving her the best he could.

Lydia nodded and wiped her eyes. “Good, because I’d have to haunt your ass.” She teased softly letting her head rest on his shoulder, she could feel the weight of the pendant on her chest and she lifted it to look at it.

“What do you think that this will do.” She questioned. She could feel the power in it and it made her curious.

Betelgeuse pulled his thoughts away from the deep darkness that they had been sinking into and brushed his fingers over the pendant with a frown.

“Not sure… we’ll have to ask her tomorrow... but I can feel that its protection, something familiar…” he frowned again and shook his head. It wasn’t pushing away from him so he was satisfied it wouldn’t hurt Lydia.

Lydia reached for her cup of tea and sipped it slowly. The weight of knowing that she was still being… hunted for lack of a better term, was exhausting. All she wanted to do was to figure out what her job was. And do it.

Her eyes lit up. “Oh, I know what we should do… I had an idea, about the book I found yesterday. Talking about the Rift Plane…” She said excitedly. It had come to her when she had started to fall asleep the night before.

She slipped out of his lap and tugged him up out of the chair. “Come on... pop us to my office.” She grinned not having the patience to go up the two flights of stairs.

Betelgeuse wrapped his arm around her again as he stood up and smirked. “I see how this is, just using me for my juice aren’t ya babes.” He dipped her backwards slightly and kissed her. Mid kiss he popped them to her office and then pulled back with a wicked grin.

Lydia felt a rush from the kiss and them being shifted from one place to the next. “Damn right I’m using you for your juice.” She teased and then pulled back going straight for the section she had found the first book in. Drawing her finger down the spines of each of the books as she read over the titles she found herself biting her bottom lip and whispering each of the titles out loud.

Betelgeuse moved over to the desk and plopped down in her chair kicking back and propping his feet up on the edge of the desk, making sure not to put his feet on anything important. He slipped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

“Let me know when you find something babes.” He smiled and watched her move out of his half closed eyes. She was beautiful when she was concentrating on something.

He still had a hard time believing that this tiny slip of woman would have the power to bring back the banished from the rift plane… he couldn’t wrap his mind around it and for that reason they had kept that bit of information from Semyaza and Sandalphon. He knew that in reality that they could probably help find more that what the two of them could… but something kept stopping him from saying anything.

  
He’d leaned a long time ago to listen to his gut, hadn’t let him down yet.

He had just started to doze when the thud of a book hitting the desk in front of him jarred him out of his stupor.

“Found it.” Lydia smirked as she pushed his feet off her desk and started to flip through the book the excitement rushing through her as she read and then she stopped. Her eyes widened as she felt a hitch in her breath.

Betelgeuse had been watching her carefully. “What is it Lyds…” he asked carefully.

Lydia looked up him her eyes glistening. “I have to find my mom… she has to help me find the beginning.” She whispered.

Betelgeuse looked confused not understanding exactly what she was getting at. “The beginning?”

Lydia nodded and held the book up pointing at the section. “I have to find Astarte.”

Betelgeuse frowned, she couldn’t be saying what he thought she was saying.   
“Your ancestor? The very first necromancer?”

Well...how the fucking shit were they going to do that?


	24. Chapter 24

Semyaza was pacing behind the desk, overlooking the window. He could hear Raphael shuffling papers around on his desk and he knew that he was just as disturbed.

“So, he’s hired a mercenary demon to go after Lydia and my son…” he said finally. “And on top of that, there is rumblings from the Dominions about all of this?” he could feel the anxiety starting to build and it worried him. This was so much more than all of them had ever anticipated. How it had come to this… he wasn’t sure.

Raphael sighed and pushed the papers away not being able to make them tell him anything he didn’t already know. “At least the Principalities have kept quiet so far about it… if they were throwing their hat in with the Dominion… our best bet would just to roll over and pledge our eternal slavery to them.” He growled out slightly.

“But the worst of it Sem… is that they’ve sent Pythias to New York… and I can’t figure out why.”

Semyaza looked over at Raphael. “One of the Sybils?” this did not bode well for them at all. He needed to get to Betelgeuse and warn him.

“I’ve got to go; they need to be alerted about the demon and the Sybil.” He wanted to wish all of this away. To make things easier for his son… he wanted so much for him now that he was able to be apart of his life.

Raphael nodded. “Go, and when I find anything out, I’ll come to you… I’m going to send Sandalphon to your sanctum… have him stay there in your place… you are needed in New York to help guard your son and his bonded… her survival means more than anything else at this point.” His voice held the weight of the worlds in it.

Semyaza sighed and nodded before he popped away.

He reappeared in the entry way of the New York Sanctum and tipped his head listening to see if they were up and about. He heard something coming from upstairs, a soft canter of voices. Too low for him to hear. He passed the kitchen and saw the remnants of tea and snapped his fingers making a fresh tea tray up. He waved his hand and wrote out a quick message, not wanting to startle the two of them as he made his appearance. He sent the note upstairs to Lydia.

* * *

Lydia felt the weight of what she needed to do on her shoulders as she slumped down and then flicked the pages of the book disheartened. “I have no idea how to even think bout how to do that.” She whispered. “I don’t even know how to find my mom either…. Have to do that before I have to go on this mythical search for the very first necromancer.” This was the first time that she could honestly say that she felt defeated.

She had let the hype of everything happening, the newness and the rush of it all to accept something that she felt suddenly she had no right to. She sat down on the desk and turned to face Betelgeuse. “I don’t think I can do this… this is all.” She held her hands up at the books. “So much.”

Betelgeuse sighed and pulled her toward him so that he was in between her legs, resting his hands on her thighs he looked up at her. “I don’t know anyone that would be as suited for this job as you babes. You have never shied away from anything since I’ve known ya, and hey… you’ve got me by your side.” He could see the worry in her eyes, and he was worried to, but he’d make sure that he did his best to make sure that she was the best damn guardian out there.

He leaned back as a piece of paper floated down between them, Lydia letting it settle in her hand as she read it.

“Your dad is here.” She said softly a lump in her throat making it harder to swallow. She was afraid of what they had found out. She slipped off of the desk and away from Betelgeuse’s touch.

Walking to the window she leaned against the window. She let her forehead rest against the glass letting the coldness soak into her skin. She didn’t hear Betelgeuse getting up and moving in behind her till he wrapped his arms around her holding her close to him. “Its gonna be fine Lyds… we’ll get this figured out.”

They both looked up at the same time when they heard the door to the office open and Semyaza walked in with a tray with tea. She wiped her eyes furiously as she nudged Betelgeuse to get a cup.

Betelgeuse sighed and let go of Lydia again hating that she was doubting herself so much. It was killing him. He waved his hand bringing up a table for Semyaza to put the tray on. “So what brings you here Pops.”

Semyaza conjured up a comfortable chair and sat down reaching for a cup of tea. Blowing across the steam he sipped it gently before looking up at the two of them. His eyes zeroed in on the pendant around Lydia’s neck and abruptly stood up walking quickly to her his hand going to the pendant.

“Where did you get it.” He asked fearing that they had already met up with Pythias.

Lydia shied away from Semyaza slightly her hand coming up to close protectively around the pendant. She opened her mouth about ready to answer when Betelgeuse stepped between them.

“You and I both know you know where it came from ol’ man… so what’s the deal.” He snapped out as the possessiveness and protectiveness slammed into him. They had enough enemies out there; he didn’t want to have to add any more.

Semyaza sighed and moved back to his chair picking up his cup he’d abandoned. “I recognize the power from the pendant.” He said and sat back down. “Pythias has maid herself known to you then?”

Betelgeuse nodded and led Lydia gently over to the sit in a chair he pulled up across from Semyaza before he sat down next to her his hand slipping back into hers. “We saw her this morning… up the street. Wouldn’t give a straight answer for nothing but hinted that she was here because she was helping to guard against something.”

Semyaza rubbed his temples and leaned forward. “The scouts that Raphael sent out came back that Samael has employed a mercenary demon to come after the two of you… no word of what the stipulations are.”

Betelgeuse felt Lydia squeeze his hand and he knew that she was worried even more now. Mercenary huh… there were only a few that would be up to the task to take him on. “There are only two that come to mind… Abaddon or Arioch.” He tipped his head to the side watching his father.

“We don’t know who it is… just that Samael met them Hyperborea.” Semyaza replied having thought of the same two as Betelgeuse.

Lydia’s eyes widened as she took it all in and bit her lip. “Who are these… demons.” She asked finally breaking the silence.

Semyaza looked at Lydia and could see that all of this was slowly taking its toll on her. He rubbed his temple again before he began to explain. “Abaddon is the Demon of war, ruin and destruction… he was so good at what he did he was nicknamed the Prince of War. Not sure it would be him though because he’s been pretty busy wrapped up in politics.” He sat up slightly and poured himself more tea. “Arioch though, is the Demon of Vengeance... that was only able to act when called for by name but since that practice has fallen out of use, he has made a name for himself as a hired mercenary.”

Lydia looked back and forth between Semyaza and Betelgeuse. “So, this… Arioch… does he have a name geis like Betelgeuse did or is it just when you want him to do something.” She worried that saying his name would bring the demon that was hired to kill her right into her home.

Semyaza shook his head. “No, not the same thing… it was a ritual back then, like I said its rather fallen out of favor.” He paused and then let out an aggravated breath. If it was Arioch there was nothing that he could do out right to prevent him from coming after them. He’d stay for sure now, making sure that no one would get past him.

Betelgeuse could see what his father was thinking and leaned back against the back of the chair. “So, we have Arioch dogging our steps then… makes sense then... especially with that pendant.” He said lifting it with his fingers from Lydia’s chest gently.

Lydia looked down at the pendant and then back up at Betelgeuse. “Why does that make sense.” She asked now worried that she’d done something wrong in accepting it.

Betelgeuse looked at his father and could see that he was waiting to see what he said. “Because it has a bit of a repelling ward on it, more of a notice me not thing as well… think of what she had done today with the whole making sure no one could see us when we popped out of her booth and came home.”

Lydia’s shoulders rounded in on herself as she leaned into Betelgeuse. “how am I supposed to keep myself safe from some powerful Mercenary Demon.” She whispered as everything threated to overwhelm her.

Semyaza arched his eyebrow at Betelgeuse. “Have you not taught her how to use her powers like you do?” He asked.

Betelgeuse frowned. “No? Didn’ know that she could.” He said looking at Lydia. Now thinking back on it the way that things seemed to blow up around her when she got really scared or pissed… yeah that made more sense.

Lydia was shocked and but then she really shouldn’t be, not by now. Not after everything that had happened. She looked between the two of them and then swallowed hard, she could feel just everything compounding in on her and she needed out. “I’m going to bed.” She whispered to Betelgeuse and then stood up rushing toward the door to go to her room. She just needed away from it all.

She ran up the stairs her bedroom door flinging open before she even reached for it, reminding her exactly why she was so upset. She slammed the door shut and threw herself onto her bed burying her face into her pillow and screaming.

Every light in her room shattered plunging her into darkness.

She didn’t even bother holding back the tears as they came this time.

* * *

Betelgeuse looked at Semyaza and sighed rubbing his hands through his hair making it stick up more. “What the fuck are we supposed to do now… stay in the damn sanctum till someone else comes and takes this mother fucker out? Then what… do the same with Samael, I can’t do that… you know that I can’t just sit by while my girl is getting raked over the coals by the universe.” He snapped out. He felt something zipping down through him and he knew that it was Lydia. Her emotions were wild and out of control and he could feel them all.

“I’ve got to make sure she’s ok.” He stood and rushed for the door only to stop when he realized that he wasn’t sure what Semyaza was going to do. “Are you stayin’” He asked.

Semyaza stood up and snapped the tray away, keeping his cup in his hand. “I had planned on it, until we can make some more modifications and find out what is going on with Pythias being here…. I’ll make use of one of the guest rooms downstairs… just call if you need me.” He replied and glanced toward the door. He could feel the power from Lydia saturating everything around them.

He watched as Betelgeuse nodded and slipped out of the door running up the stairs. It was funny that in his haste to get to her… he’d forgotten how much faster it would have been to just pop himself up to the bedroom. He smiled softly and headed downstairs to get settled in for the night.

* * *

Betelgeuse ran up the stairs and stopped when he saw that the door was shut. He bit his lip wondering if he should knock or just go in. He was shit at this stuff… finally he gave up on deciding and just opened the bedroom door. He slipped in and saw that she was crying on the bed, her face in the pillow. Not a single light on. It was then he noticed that there was a bit of a burnt smell in the air and he realized that the reason for the darkness was because she’d killed all the lights. With a wave of his hand he fixed them all and lit a candle next to the bed. Slipping over next to the bed and knelt down and brushed his fingers over her hair gently.

“Lyds…” he whispered softly not wanting to startle her.

Lydia felt the instant that Betelgeuse was in the room. She felt his energy flow through fixing what she had broken. The light from the candle suddenly lit beside her had her turning her head into his hand.

“I’m sorry I ran.” She whispered hating that she felt so small right then.

Betelgeuse shook his head. “Don’t be, things just keep fucking coming at you babes and we can’t catch a break.” He whispered his hand still threading gently through her hair. “You scream and blow shit up all you want…”

Lydia let out a soft laugh into the pillow and then finally turned her head so that she could see him completely. “I may just do that… turn the basement into a room for me to just break shit.” She said only half joking. Her smile slipped from her face as the weight came rushing back.

“What are we going to do… I can’t keep this up B… its too much.” She whispered feeling the thickness of her tears welling up in the back of her throat again.

Betelgeuse shook his head not sure what to say or do.

  
“My ol’man is staying to help… we’ll get it figured out ok... promise you.” He said hating that he kept saying that and things just kept going to shit.

“Guess the first thing that we need to work on is control.” He said glancing at the lights that were now fixed. He scratched his head not sure how to even begin to figure out how to teach her how to channel and control.

“We can start tomorrow… but for now, lets have a bit of a rest and then we’ll get up and make dinner with all those horrifically overpriced things you bought today.” He teased and slipped into the bed next to her.

Lydia let out a breath and rolled over so that she could slip into his arms. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan… B… should we tell your dad about the rift plane… he might know more.” She hesitated not sure why they’d stopped from telling anyone yet.

Betelgeuse frowned slightly and nodded. “I think that he would know more for sure… Samael banished my mother to the rift plane, as a punishment for my dad loving her.” He said softly knowing that now she would understand why he had gotten so excited for it.

Lydia’s hand covered her mouth. “Oh B… that’s horrible.” She whispered feeling the tears in her eyes and then she felt a wash of determination slip over her.

“I will figure this out and we’ll bring her back.” She said as a fire lit in her for the first time since she’d learned of what she could do.


	25. Chapter 25

Gabriel walked silently through the darkened halls of the sanctum, he had his job and he would do it; he’d not fail.

They had gotten word from a few that Raphael had brought the Fallen Leader into the Empyrean city center. It was a mockery of what they all had held pure.

A time when they had held their heads up high, looking down at the filth below them.

Oh, how they all had fallen, but they would fix it.

He sneered; it was… Disgusting to see how once exalted and praised Archangels were now brought low enough to mingle with the mortals and then unclean.

The rage that boiled beneath his skin was quelled slightly in knowing that they would right this. They would no longer cower before the mortals, no longer bow to the whims of the Fallen.

He held tight the bindings in his hand.

He had one chance to do this right.

He slipped into the library, the flickering of the fire the only light in the room. He could see the figure of someone sitting in the chair across from the fireplace, their back to him.

He moved silently; his intent focused on his job.

He lashed out quickly and efficiently, the bindings going around the archangel’s throat instantly incapacitating him as Gabriel pulled him from the chair pushing him to the ground. He moved his booted foot to press down menacingly against his throat.

Kneeling down carefully so not to take any pressure off of his neck, he smiled down at his captive.

“You have much to answer for Sandalphon.” He rasped out and then with force enough to shatter a mortal man’s skull he slammed Sandalphon’s head into the ground knocking him unconscious.

Uncaring of the blood now spilling from the Archangel, Gabriel lifted him over his shoulder and carried him through the hallways back to the entry way so that he could slip away back to Samael’s keep. Hidden away from all prying eyes.

He reached the doorway and pushed It open and before any alarm could be raised, he disappeared.

* * *

Sandalphon came to slowly as he was jostled around, the feeling of pain seeping through every part of his body. He fought to keep all sound from slipping out not wanting his attacker to know that he was aware just yet.

He felt himself being lifted and then tossed to the ground; the hardened earth cold beneath him as he collapsed against the aged flagstone that peaked through the hard-packed dirt. He kept himself unresponsive, limp and pliant knowing that would be his only chance to find out what was in store for him.

He had an uneasy feeling creeping over him and he knew that he wouldn’t come out of this with whole… or at all.

A wash of light lit the room he was in and he could hear the footsteps coming toward him. His stomach clenched as he recognized the steps of the Archangel he had once called brother.

Samael.

He refused to go out with no dignity and slowly pushed himself upwards, his body aching as the scent of blood filled his nose. He knew that he had been hurt but feeling the throb of pain that echoed through his head and down his neck was… worrying. He struggled to keep himself upright as he slowly stood only to face the monster that was standing in front of him showing now emotion.

“I see you have found somewhere fitting your standing now.” He spat out glancing around the dark, dirty dilapidated structure.

Samael looked at Sandalphon indifferently before his hand flashed out, quick as lightening and gripped around Sandalphon’s throat, squeezing the air from his lungs.

“You have much to answer for Sandalphon.” He sneered, the darkness seeping into his eyes. Showing just how much he had slipped into the evil that was taking over him.

Sandalphon didn’t fight back as he stared him down not giving him the sense of power that he wanted. “I answer to no one, especially not to the likes of you.” He gasped out, forcing the words out.

Samael narrowed his eyes as he felt his fingernails pierce the thin skin on Sandalphon’s throat, his hand tightening even more as he dug in, feeling the wetness of the blood making the skin slick as it started to seep out around his fingertips.

“You kept _HER_ from _Me_!! She was _mine_ to have, _mine_ to mold and make of in _my_ own image!” He growled out, spittle flying from his mouth as his rage took over. “You took that from me, and so shall you pay!”

Sandalphon could feel the blood dripping down his neck but refused to budge. “She was never yours to have Samael…” he choked out.

“The Dominion knows of your plans… they will stop you.” He could feel his end coming, he would accept it knowing that he had done all he could to keep Lydia safe.

Samael laughed darkly and leaned in to whisper to Sandalphon. “They will try, and they will perish just as the rest will… I will rule just as it was always intended from the beginning.” He said and then whispered against his ear. “I will keep her till last, after Arioch has finished with her and I will drain every droplet of her blood and use it to seal the rift plane for good.” He growled out and then when he knew that when that sank in, that Sandalphon realized that there was no chance for his soul to be reborn, it would be in the rift plane with any other that stood against him. He pulled back slowly his gaze locking with the betrayer.

“Enjoy your eternity of nothingness.” He whispered before he slammed his hand over his forehead and with all the power he had pulled Sandalphon’s soul from his body, wrenching a scream of pain that echoed through the stone walls before it all fell silent, with great satisfaction he banished the small glowing ember into the Rift Plane. A flash of black ash all that remained as it danced in the air around him. He felt a rush of energy slam into him, he dropped the empty body to the floor and tipped his head back letting out a primal scream of satisfaction.

It had begun.

* * *

Lydia didn’t know how long it was that she had been sleeping but when she woke up the evening sun was starting to set in her bedroom window. Frowning slightly, she turned to see if Betelgeuse was still in bed, he was… his mouth hanging open as a soft snore slipped out. She tried not to laugh, for someone that didn’t need to breath, it still came naturally to him so much so that he snored. Rolling slightly toward the edge of the bed she moved to swing her feet off it and then sat there just thinking back to what had happened and what their next move was.

She knew instinctively that this new player, this seer Pythias, was someone that wasn’t playing by the rules the archangels had been trying to lay out… it made her weary, especially after seeing Betelgeuse’s reaction to her at the market. She ran her hand tiredly over her face, as much sleep as she had been getting, it just didn’t feel like it was enough anymore.

Slipping quietly off the bed she grabbed her robe and wrapped it around herself, staving off the chill in the air. She moved toward her sliding door that led out to the rooftop patio. It was a little space, but it was enough that it gave her a sense of being able to see on top of the word. Stepping outside she stood there in her bare feet her mind drifting as she listened to the traffic below her, the sounds of people calling out to each other… so much going on all of them so completely unaware of what was a reality, it was startling in a way. 

She could feel the burning of tears in the back of her throat as she swallowed hard. She truly was alone in the world now… she had seen the files that Betelgeuse had stolen from her _fath_ … from Charles, the files from the hospital she had been imprisoned in, he’d gone back to her old house, wanting to see if there was anything of hers that he could salvage and had found nothing, not a trace that she had ever even existed there. It had felt like a knife going through her chest realizing that her _father_ had all but wiped her out of his memory. He’d filed papers legally dissolving him of all parental rights, pointing at the validation of him not being her biological father and wiping his hands of her. He had his perfect little nuclear family now. She hoped that he died in a puddle of his own puke.

He disgusted her… _they_ disgusted her.

She felt Betelgeuse coming out onto the patio behind her, seconds before his arms wrapped around her. She leaned back into him and let out a sigh.

“Just having a bit of a pity me moment.” She whispered into the darkness, breaking the quiet that seemed to linger around the two of them.

Betelgeuse hugged her tighter. “You’re entitled to that Babes… but its fucking cold out here, you don’t got no shoes on…don’t want ya to catch a cold.” he whispered and snapped his fingers so that her slippers now covered her feet.

Lydia smiled softly and then remembered the whole incident that had sent her to bed earlier. She tipped her head back looking up at him, it still was startling to her, to see the tinge of pinkness to his skin.

“Thanks B.” she whispered and then looked back out at the city skyline.

“How can I do this… this whole energy thing like you do, I’m supposed to be able to right, I mean I keep blowing crap up.” She whispered still slightly shaken from that episode in the library.

Betelgeuse thought about it and then turned to have her face him. “Do something for me ok... close your eyes, take in a deep breath… remember how you meditated and felt that bond between us… do it again.” he murmured softly watching as she slowly closed her eyes, he kept his hands in hers to help keep her grounded.

Lydia did as he asked and closed her eyes. She concentrated on her breathing, slow measured breaths, letting herself sink slowly into her own head. Mediation had always come easy to her because of her mother teaching her at such a young age, now she knew why.

She could feel herself reaching out for the bond between them, feeling its warmth and comfort as she smiled softly. She reached out to it, brushing her fingers through the silver. She felt a surge of emotions rushing through her and she knew that that was what Betelgeuse felt for her. It brought tears to her eyes… how pure those emotions were. She could feel the possessiveness as well as the huge boiling hate and destructive need to destroy anything that hurt her.

It was staggering.

She pulled back slowly and then looked down at her own hands, it was funny to think that even in your own subconscious you could have a body… hands… “Ok B… now what.” She whispered more to herself.

She tried to think about how it felt when she’d lost control. She had felt a buzzing… tickling under her skin before things had went to shit. Maybe… maybe she could bring that feeling out with out letting it get crazy.

She felt Betelgeuse pushing at something from deep within her mind and she let herself follow that feeling.

She stopped and held her hands out the second that she started to feel that buzzing, the tickling at the palm of her hand as it slowly started to travel up her fingertips. 

She’d found it!

There!

It was there just with in the beat of her own heart, the echo of it sending a tiny sliver of energy through her, she just had to reach out… and pull it toward her.

She felt it again this time pulling that energy to her, feeling that tingling in her fingertips. She heard B’s voice… distant but still strong.

“Open yer eyes Lyds.”

She slowly opened her eyes, looking straight into Betelgeuse’s. The look he was giving her was a mixture of shock, awe and pride.

She could still feel the tingling in her fingers and looked down seeing the way that they glowed, a soft lavender.

Lydia wanted to gasp in shock... but instead she concentrated on her fingers, the way that it felt wanting to memorize that sensation, that feeling. Engraving it in her head.

With a soft smile she thought about what she was trying to do and then brought her fingers together, the glow not dissipating as she snapped.

The soft sound echoed in the darkness, but the result was instantaneous.

She squeezed the soft fur of the stuffed cat that Betelgeuse had made for her the day that he rescued her. She’d left in the room in Vanth’s sanctum.

She’d brought it back to her.

With a grin she brought the stuffed animal to her face and squeezed it before she fell into Betelgeuse’s embrace. 

She held her hand out for both of them to see as she consciously pulled the energy back watching as the lavender glow dissipated from her fingertips.

“Fuck yeah babes… you’ve got this in the bag!” his voice was thick with the pride he was feeling.

* * *

The glow from the end of a cigarette lit the darkness in the alley way across from the New York Sanctum. 

Arioch drew in a long drag of it, letting the ash fall to the ground uncaring as his eyes never wavered from the building across from him.

They’d given him the slip earlier that morning with the help of that busybody old hag. If he could get away with squeezing the life from her body, he would. But fortunately for her, she was protected but the Dominion.

His attention was brought back to the building he was watching. There was a static charge building almost from the very ground and air around it. He gritted his teeth fighting back the primal urge to follow the energy, to find it, to possess it.

He knew that it was the girl, he could taste it. The way that the energy burned at the back of his throat.

He would have her.

He would take it from her.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the lateness of the chapter. Have been super busy the last few days!

For the first time since they had moved into the sanctum Betelgeuse found himself being the first to wake up. He could feel Lydia wrapped around him, snuggled under his arm, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept deeply.

He reached out with a gentle touch and brushed his fingers over her cheek smiling as she wrinkled her nose and buried her face into his chest.

He brushed his fingers gently through her hair tucking it behind her ear before he leaned in kissing her on the temple

Slipping out of bed he snapped his fingers changing his clothes before he headed downstairs to the kitchen to get coffee started for Lydia. He wanted to be prepared for when Pythias arrived. He didn’t let on to Lydia the day before how much seeing the Seer had really thrown him for a loop. He was nervous to find out what was in store for them.

Because of her presence, he knew that the Dominion had a hand in all of this. That in itself had him worried. It was funny how humans had described Demons and Archangels over time, but the real power players were the Dominions… the old ones. The old gods and goddess. Every myth after all was based on something.

He sighed to himself and with a snap of his fingers started the coffee maker before he stepped out onto the patio and moved to the small railing leaning over it to look at the street below.

The buildings were so tightly packed together it was hard to see the alleys between them.

Something was drawing his eye toward a particular alleyway… he wasn’t sure what it was. He closed his eyes and just let himself take in the energy slipping through the wards.

He could feel something, off… he wasn’t sure what it was, and it was setting his hair on end. Before he could delve into it more, he heard someone coming out on the patio behind him. Pulling himself back he sat that it was his father.

Semyaza handed Betelgeuse a cup of coffee and leaned into the railing slightly. “Everything alright, you seem concerned.” He asked.

Betelgeuse shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure, just something don’t feel right.” He waved his hand out to the streets below. “Energy is all wrong, setting me on edge.” 

Semyaza frowned slightly. “Doesn’t bode well with the Seers visit later this morning.” He commented still frowning.

Betelgeuse sighed and scrubbed his hand over his neck. “No it really fucking doesn’t.” he growled.

Their silence was broken by the sound of a knock on the entry way door. He looked at his father, his eyes narrowing. “Too early for Pythias.” He said as he walked toward the kitchen. He felt his father’s hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll get it, you be ready to take Lydia and get to either my place or Vanth’s…” he trailed off as he sat his cup down and headed downstairs for the entry way.

* * *

Raphael heard the yelling outside before he heard the commotion outside his door. Slowly standing up he started to move around the side of his desk just as his door burst open.

“Gabriel is in the courtyard!” the young archangel stuttered out before he turned and ran back out the door.

Raphael closed his eyes and snapped his fingers appearing in the courtyard. The chaos around him was reminiscent of the way the last war began, the coil of dread wound tighter in his stomach as he stepped toward the Archangel standing in the middle of the courtyard.

“You are no longer welcomed in Empyrean Gabriel.” He started and then stopped when he realized that there was a body laying at his feet, it was Sandalphon. The horror at what he was seeing shown briefly on his face before he looked up into his face, hoping to see some sign of remorse.

“What have you done?” He whispered knowing that the only way to kill an Archangel was to banish their soul to the rift plane.

Gabriel smirked not dignifying Raphael with an answer and waved his hand raising the body up for all to see. He made his voice echo through the crowd.

“Fellow Archangels, this is the cost of betrayal to the great Samael!” he sneered.

“You have grown lax in your condemnation of sullying your lines with the filth of the mortal plane.” He spat out hatefully.

“The time has come once again to cleanse the abominations! Join us if you do not wish to join your fellow betrayer in the rift plane!”

He let the body of Sandalphon fall as he disappeared back to Samael’s side knowing that he had gotten the word out in the best way possible.

Let Raphael deal with the fall out.

Raphael rushed to the where Sandalphon’s body laid and dropped to his knees. He cradled the archangel’s head in his lap, the tears slipping down her cheeks. “I am so sorry we failed you, old friend.” He whispered and then with a snap of his fingers the body was wrapped in the finest of white linens and he started for mausoleum, he had laid his life down to protect the innocent, he would be laid to rest amongst the greats.

He could feel Barachiel standing at his side and he reached out for his shoulder, bracing himself as he took strength from him. “Semyaza must be warned. Please go to the New York Sanctum and tell him what has happened. Make sure that the girl is safe and protected behind the wards.”

Barachiel nodded resolutely. “Yes Sir… I’ll be back soon.” He promised and with a pop disappeared.

* * *

Barachiel found himself standing at the threshold of the New York Sanctum. He could feel the wards and felt a wash of relief that at the very least, they would have time to get away if Samael showed himself here again.

He reached out knocking on the door and stepped back slightly so that they would be able to see him through the window. He did not enjoy being the bearer of bad news, but Semyaza needed to be told and he needed to go back to his own Sanctum to secure it.

He heard footsteps coming toward the door and held himself stiff as the knowledge he was about to give would cause pain.

* * *

Semyaza slowly opened the door ready to fight only to be brought up short by a very rattled looking Barachiel. “Bar… what’s happened.” He knew that something unfathomable had happened.

Barachiel swallowed hard. “Its Sandalphon…” He started. “Samael killed him!”

Semyaza slumped against the doorframe as a numbness he hadn’t felt in decades washed over him. His hand covered his eyes as he choked back a rush of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. He stepped back slightly feeling Betelgeuse’s hand on his shoulder leading him away from the doorway. He felt himself being sat in a chair and a cup of hot tea pressed into his hand. 

Betelgeuse turned from his father and looked at the guardian Archangel. “What happened?”

Barachiel felt the wards washing over him as he was brought inside, his wings immediately being reappearing, forcing the glamour he had over them to dissipate. He fluttered them and rolled his shoulders slightly before turning to face Betelgeuse.

“We aren’t sure, just that Gabriel showed up in the courtyard spewing his nonsense about killing the abominations and how we were all negligent in our duty and our lines are filthy.” He shook his head his attention turning to Semyaza.

“I am so sorry.” He whispered reaching out to squeeze his hand.

Semyaza shook his head. “He knew what he was doing, He knew that his life was forfeit the second that he kept Samael’s daughter’s existence from him.” He said softly and looked at his son.

“Please get Lydia. She needs to know what happened.”

Betelgeuse sighed and shook his head and popped out leaving Semyaza and Barachiel alone in their grief.

He reappeared on Lydia’s side of the bed. Kneeling down carefully he brushed his fingers over Lydia’s cheek. “Lyds… need you to wake up now.” He whispered watching as her eyes fluttered open.

“Wuhh...” She slurred as she slowly came to wakefulness. She knew instantly that something had happened, just by the look on Betelgeuse’s face. He never was good at hiding things from her.

“What happened.” She whispered sitting up slowly pushing the last bits of sleepiness away.

Betelgeuse took each of her hands brushing his thumbs over her wrists. “Barachiel just showed up.. he’s one of the guardian archangels that works closely with Raphael and the whole movement away from Samael.” He started slowly.

“Gabriel showed up in the court yard at the center of the Empyrean… he delivered a message to Raphael and the rest of the archangels.”

Lydia frowned as she tried to follow what he was saying. “What was the message… why didn’t they stop him?” she asked as her heart started to speed up.

Betelgeuse shook his head. “Probably because they were too afraid to, back in the day Gabriel was known for being blood thirsty and ruthless in his quest to kill and remove all stains from the Archangel line. Felt that was his given duty and all that shit.” He squeezed her hands again slightly bringing himself back on topic. “It was the message that was shocking.”

Lydia felt everything slow down as she took in a slow breath. “What was the message.” She asked slowly knowing that it had something to do with her. Otherwise, why would Betelgeuse be hedging around just saying it so much.

“It was Sandalphon’s body. Samael killed him.” He said watching Lydia carefully. He knew that the two of them had spent hours talking and she had grown fond of him.

Lydia felt her chin drop to her chest as the first tear drop fell. She sucked in a trembling breath trying to keep from reacting. “How… I don’t understand… how can you kill an archangel.” She had thought that they were immortal.

“By ripping his soul from his body… and banishing it to the rift plane.” 

Semyaza replied as he stepped into the bedroom slightly. “I apologize for interrupting, but the Seer is here.”

* * *

It wasn’t long after Semyaza's interruption that Lydia found herself following Betelgeuse down the stairs to the main sitting room. She could see the woman they had met the previous day sitting in the chair closest to the window, a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands.

Barachiel was flitting around nervously and she wondered if it was because of the seer or just because of what had happened.

It wasn’t till she took her seat with Betelgeuse next to her that the woman looked up at them. Semyaza took a moment to conjure up a tray of coffee and tea before sitting down.

Pythias looked at the gathered group and smirked. “It is not every day, that you will find a Guardian” she looked at Barachiel her gaze moved to Semyaza. “The Fallen Leader,” it slowly moved toward the couple on the sofa. “A Nephilim and a Necromancer in the same room, even more so that they are working together… the end times truly are coming upon us.” She said glancing down into her teacup.

Lydia frowned. “What do you mean?” she asked as he hand went for Betelgeuse’s, grounding herself.

Pythias looked at the young woman and with a wave of her hand a cup of coffee just to her liking and held it out to her till she took it.

“You my dear…” she stopped and sighed hating to be the one to make her feel like this. But it had to be done.

“Your existence was brought forth into the universe in order to regain and restore the balance that has been disturbed.”

Betelgeuse felt a rush of rage hit him at the feeling of complete inadequacy of what they were dealing with. “You just wait a minute… that doesn’t make a bit of fucking sense.” He growled.

Lydia could feel her heart stuck in her throat. That was not what she had been expecting to hear. She squeezed Betelgeuse’s hand. “It’s ok B…” She whispered.

“And what happens if I fail at doing this, and how am I even supposed to do this… I’m just… me?” she just wanted to curl into a ball and pretend that all of this was a horrible nightmare, and she’d wake up and all would be just how it used to be.

Pythias sighed and shook her head feeling pity for the girl. “If you fail to restore balance, the world as you know it will cease to exist… the division of the planes will no longer hold strong, each bleeding into the other. Chaos will reign and will lead to the complete and utter destruction of mankind.”

The horror that stole over Lydia at that moment was enough to make what fragile control she had one her newly awakened powers fail and every window in the room, every light, every bit of glass or porcelain exploded. Everything felt as if it were in slow motion and it wasn’t till Lydia realized that her eyes were closed that she slowly opened them and could see that everything around her was frozen… except Pythias.

“At ease Child, I’ve merely slowed things down a bit before any damage is done.” She said softly and rested both her hands on Lydia’s cheeks making her focus. “Breathe in slowly, you know the feeling of your own power… pull it back, make it right. Don’t think about what you are doing, just feel.” She whispered.

Lydia followed what the Seer was saying and could feel her power around her lashing out searching for a way to destroy. She didn’t want that; she wasn’t one to just destroy things. She wanted to make them better. She raised her hands up and with the pure stubbornness that she had been born with she pulled her energy back into her, commanding it to right the destruction she had laid waste to.

In an instant, things were back to how they were supposed to be, Lydia was still standing her arms outstretched as she panted with exertion. She looked over at Pythias and was shocked to see that it looked like she hadn’t moved at all as she sat there sipping her tea, a slow smirk slipping over her face.

Betelgeuse sat frozen, he could have sworn that Lydia had just destroyed the entire sitting room… had been in the motion of throwing himself over her before he found himself back in his seat, Lydia standing, and everything was… fine? “What… the ever-loving fuck was that.” He spat out in shock.

Pythias laughed softly. “That my dear Nephilim is why Samael wants control of your bonded.” She smiled. “And you my dear… have to realize that you are not bound and constrained to what mere books are telling you…” she said cryptically looking at Lydia as her eyes danced.

Semyaza had known that Lydia was powerful from the second that he had sat down next to her all those weeks ago. “What do you mean by that, how?”

Pythias sipped her tea watching as Lydia slowly came to terms with what she was saying. “Your first task is to right the wrongs of those trapped in the rift plane.” She said simply.

“But the books are wrong. I know that you are under the assumption that you need to find your mother and Astarte to do this, and had Samael not been so intent on your line ever existing you would be able to do so, but their souls are wandering the rift as well.” She said seeing Lydia’s eyes widen.

“You need to speak with Purah, Astarte’s father.” She said simply. “He will guide you through what needs to be done for you to open the plane… that will be the start of returning balance to what has been so wrongly disrupted.”

Betelgeuse snorted. “Another fucking while goose chase? How are we supposed to find him, all of the old ones have fucked off and let the world turn to shit.”

Barachiel had been silent since they all had gathered and slowly cleared his throat.

“I know where he is.” He said his wings shivered slightly as all the attention in the room was turned to him.

Betelgeuse muttered under his breath. “Of course you do.”

Barachiel rubbed his hands together nervously ignoring Betelgeuse.

“Biringan.”

Semyaza groaned and shook his head standing up as he started to pace.

Lydia looked back and forth between the two of them and frowned. “Where is that… why does that feel like a bad thing?” She asked still not completely up on all her cities of the other planes.

“It’s the Black City….” Semyaza drained his cup and sat it down a bit harder than he had intended. “I’ll go, I’ll bring him here. You two stay here where its safe.” He said and then started for the door only to be stopped by the Seer’s voice.

“Remember Semyaza, he must come of his own volition or the Black City will keep him there.”

He nodded still not facing them, not wanting his son to see how much uncertainty he had in this task. Once one was in the Black City you never came back. It was the land of the lost.

He would do it though, he had to.

To do anything less would be the end of the world.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient with me, it has been a rough week with the flu having hit the house. Back to my regular schedule now thankfully! Enjoy!

It wasn’t long and Lydia finally found herself in her office by herself. The Seer had left and so had Barachiel leaving just Semyaza there with her and Betelgeuse.

There had been a moment of tension when she had asked where it was that he needed to go, what the Seer had meant by what she had told him.

Her heart skipped a beat again when she thought back to what he had said.

“The Black City is just what it sounds like Lydia, devoid of everything. Life, love, even hate and fear. Its as close to nothingness that you can get in the underworld with out being banished to the rift plane. A place that is a self-imposed exile if you will.”

She couldn’t understand why anyone would want to do that. She could see something in Semyaza’s eyes though that kept her from asking that very question.

With a soft sigh she looked down at her tea and narrowed her eyes. She needed to get these powers of hers under control. Slowly she reached out her hand brushing just gently over the rim of the cup as she concentrated. She remembered what Pythias had said during her last outburst and let herself feel her power, channeling it, bending it to do her will. She was the one in control of it.

And right now, she wanted her tea to be warm again.

She could see the steam just starting to rise up off of the surface of the liquid when she heard the door open, her concentration slipped, and the cup exploded.

“God damnit.” She whispered flopping back in the chair and looked up to see who had come in.

Betelgeuse raised his eyebrows watching Lydia after she had exploded the cup. “I take it that wasn’t the intention?”

Lydia narrowed her eyes at her husband. “No.” she said crossing her arms over her chest refusing to look at the mess on the floor.

Betelgeuse snapped his fingers fixing the shattered remains of the cup to new again and refilled her tea. Handing it to her he sighed.

“Pops is off to find your great however many granddaddy.” He scrubbed the back of his neck. “Starting to look like a regular ol family reunion isn’t it babes.” He tried to force a grin but it came out more of a grimace.

Lydia frowned at Betelgeuse seeing his forced smile. She held out her hand to him and stood up going to stand in front of him, her hands brushing over his. “You don’t seem very happy about that.” She said softly.

Betelgeuse wrapped his arms around Lydia pulling her in tight to him as he buried his face into her hair, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. “Getting real tired of shit hittin the fan all the god damn time.” He said roughly.

Lydia could feel her heart skipping a beat as the burn of tears threatened to overwhelm her.

Betelgeuse could feel Lydia’s emotions as she sank into his embrace. “It ain’t your fault Lyds, I swear it, I just am getting real fuckin tired of all the new people starting to pop in and fucking things up.” He brushed his fingers through her hair gently soothing her.

“This whole thing with Pythias, she’s got me on edge so damn bad, she’s got her own damn plan and she ain’t letting anyone in on it.”

Lydia frowned softly. “She did kinda just show up and not really give us anymore answers.” She said softly. She suddenly worried that the whole thing with Semyaza was a set up. “Are you sure that your dad will be safe going to the Black City? What if it’s a trap and just another way to get him away from us.” She whispered feeling the ache in her chest.

Betelgeuse rubbed his hands up over Lydia’s arms to calm her down.

“Shh, none of that there babes… as much as I hate to admit it, my ol’man… he ain’t some push over, he can handle his own.” He wouldn’t admit it, but he wondered exactly how his pops planned to do this. No one ever had come back from the Black City.

“Come on, lets get some lunch on.” He said tipping her chin up so that he could kiss her hoping that it would be enough to distract her from her thoughts. He could feel the anxiety floating through their bond and he wished that he could just snap it away like had the mess from the tea.

Lydia nodded into the kiss and wrapped her arms around him hanging on as she sank into his embrace. “Thank you, I know what you are trying to do.” She whispered against his lips. “But food, I need something besides tea.” She readily admitted.

Betelgeuse smiled against her lips and shrugged his shoulders unashamed. “What can I say, distracting my wife is my duty.” He said and pulled her toward the door before saying fuck it and wrapped his arms around her popping them to the kitchen.

“So much better on my knees than the stairs.” He winked knowing that he was taking the piss completely.

Lydia couldn’t stop the smile from slipping over her face, she knew that he was trying to make her feel better. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

They spent the next few minutes working in tandem getting lunch together. The quiet was soothing for her and she could feel herself slowly relaxing and she found herself leaning into Betelgeuse as he moved behind her slipping his arms around her.

With a snap of his fingers a radio appeared, and a soft slow jazz number started to play. She laughed as he spun her around but kept her in his arms dancing to the music.

“B… this is…” she laid her head on his chest and smiled as they swayed with the music. “Perfect.” She closed her eyes and just let herself go.

* * *

Semyaza found himself outside a huge gated opening. Cobblestones leading up to the rot iron gate. The black mountains in the distance nearly hidden by the thick fog that covered everything.

He swallowed hard knowing that his chances of doing this and getting back out were slim to none, but he had to try.

He knew that Imogene would want him to do this.

He knew the pain that Purah had felt when he self-exiled himself to the Black City.

The pain of losing your bonded was enough to drive most to insanity. He knew that Astarte’s mother… Purah’s bonded was Zorah.

He remembered back in that time, that Samael had used Purah as an example… ripping his bonded from him and banishing her to the rift plane. As punishment for having a child together, and that child being special.

Purah had done all he could to keep Astarte safe and had hid her before Samael had found them. Giving her a chance at life had been their sacrifice. Zorah having given up her afterlife to Samael’s punishment and Purah having banished himself to the Black City.

And now, he had to find him and convince him that Zorah could be saved. That he had a descendant that looked so much like Astarte had.

His stomach was twisting with nerves as he came up on the gate. Reaching his hand out he closed his eyes pushing all his thoughts of why he was there to the forefront. Making sure that all his doubts were gone, all his worries were banished.

He was almost ready to pull back afraid that he’d failed in gaining entry when he was startled, the gate creaking open slowly.

Semyaza drew in a deep breath as he stepped in through the gates.

Everything around him disappeared. The fog coming in to surround him.

He could hear the whispers starting.

_“Why are you here”_

_“Who do you seek”_

_“You will fail”_

He gritted his teeth and drew himself up to his full height, his wings unfurling behind him.

“ **I AM SEMYAZA. LEADER OF THE FALLEN** ” his voice echoed through the fog. Sounding as if it was bouncing off of high cliff walls.

“ **I AM SEEKING PURAH**!” he called out and waited.

The voices around him had started to get louder, but he couldn’t make out any thing that they were saying. It was getting more and more confusing, the louder the voices got, the closer they sounded, spinning around him…

And then it all stopped.

There was absolute silence around him as the fog seemed to start to thin.

He held his breath as he strained his eyes trying to see through the whiteness.

It was funny that at that moment his mind seemed to realize that the Black City was very… white and not city like at all.

It was just, nothingness.

And then he heard it, the soft rhythmic cadence of someone walking toward him.

“Purah?” he called out hesitantly.

A figure slowly emerged from the fog and stopped a good distance away. “Why do you call me?”

Semyaza felt a surge of relief hit him as he realized that he was there, standing before him. “Purah, it is I… Semyaza.” He called back to the other Fallen. He took a step toward him only to realize that even as he walked closer, the distance never wavered.

It was then that Pythias’s words came back to him.

“I have news of Zorah.” He called out hoping that would be enough to bring him closer.

He heard a scoff and felt his worry double.

“There is no news of my beloved, she is gone from me for eternity!” Purah’s voice was rough from disuse, cracking with emotion.

“Your daughters Line still lives on! She will be able to bring them back… bring back your Zorah… my Imogene.” His own voice waivered at the pain still there.

“No! She died…. Samael was sure to rub that in my face as he banished Zorah.” He roared, and in a split second was face to face with Semyaza.

“Do not lie to me with such things. Tell me why you are here.” He demanded.

Semyaza could see the wild pain and anguish still fresh in Purah’s face and knew what the toll of being in the Black City truly was. Living with that pain of being ripped from your bonded over and over again. The pain never fading.

“I would never lie about such a thing. To give false hope.” He whispered.

“I come because my own Son is bonded to your Astarte’s blood line. Her power rivals all in the universe but needs a teacher.”

He whispered looking at the broken Fallen in front of him. “You have family, that still lives. That needs you.” He said slowly waiting to see if anything that he was saying would be enough.

“How can I be sure that you are telling the truth Semyaza.” Purah asked slowly weighing his words carefully.

“You just have to take my word for it, things are changing. The Archangels powers have shifted, Samael is no longer in power.” He replied hoping that his words were getting through to him.

Purah looked up at him hope starting to blaze in his eyes. “How can this be?”

Semyaza let the first smile slip over his face and held his hand out for Purah to come towards him. “I will tell you, but we have to leave. It is a long story to tell my old friend. One that isn’t safe to tell in the open… even though it may feel that we are alone.”

Purah looked around the fog, truly seeing where he was at for the first time in centuries. “I… do not know how to leave.” He said looking at Semyaza the concern stark against his face.

Semyaza drew in a breath looking back over his shoulder from where he’d came. “You have to want to leave My friend. Truly want to leave for the Black City to let its hold on you go.” He said softly. “I have a family, one that I want to see grow. I will see them again…. And that family… Purah, they are your family as well.”

Purah’s brow furrowed as he let the words slowly start to sink it. It was hard still to grasp that his Astarte had survived and went on to marry and have children. His beloved daughter, he could still remember her. For the first time he could feel something in him starting to clear. He looked at Semyaza. “I am ready to go; I wish to meet this woman that is my blood.” He said softly and watched as the fog cleared behind Semyaza, leading to the black gates.

Semyaza felt a wash of relief hit him seeing the gates open behind him. “Then we will go.” He said and the two of them stepped out of the gate on to the cobblestone path.

The creak of the gate closing behind them was enough for him to drop to his knees in relief. He took a few moments to himself letting all his emotions wash over him as he brough himself back under control. He looked up seeing Purah standing and looking out at the ocean crashing on the beach below them. He had tears on his cheeks as he stood there, the wind on his face with his eyes closed.

“I had forgotten, the feel of the ocean air on my face.” He whispered and then slowly opened his eyes. “There is much to tell me, I am sure, but first. I must see her.” He said slowly.

Semyaza nodded. “We are going to the mortal plane sanctum, Axis Mundi. Your grand-daughter has taken up guardianship.”

Purah’s mouth twitched into a smile. “Truly? I am blessed to have such an honorable descendant.” He whispered. “You will have to take me there; it has been too long since I have been to the mortal plane to know where we are going.”

Semyaza nodded and reached out grasping Purah’s forearm. “You will be able to get through the protective wards because of your blood… we have done all we can to keep her safe.” He said and when Purah nodded his head signaling that he was ready, Semyaza popped them to the entry way of the house in New York. 

He hoped that they were all ready.

It was time to bring the families together.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally had a chance to sit an work on this chapter. Hope you all enjoy. I promise it won't be as long between the this and the next chapter.   
> Getting everyone in my house back in a routine now that I am the teacher is a bit difficult. But we are managing.   
> Stay healthy and safe everyone.

Arioch pulled his cloak around his shoulders tighter as he traversed the dark hallways of the abandoned stone building. If he had the inclination, he’d roll his eyes at how ridiculous this was, he didn’t understand why the Archangel didn’t just get rid of the ones that stood in his way in Empyrean. He’d done it before.

Personally, he thought that Samael had lost some of his bite, instead he’d left with his tail between his legs like a fucking dog. If it wasn’t for the fact that he’d been promised the girl before she was killed, he’d have nothing to do with any of this. Of course, he’d leave off the second that it wasn’t going his way.

Finally getting to the large wooden door at the end he knocked twice before entering, uncaring if he was interrupting anything.

“I’m here like you requested.” He snarled still resenting that he had been summoned like a dog. “Remember you hired me to do a job. I can’t fucking do it if you keep pulling me away.” He snarked.

In the blink of an eye he felt a hand squeezing around his throat as he was slammed against the stone wall behind him. He sputtered as his air was cut off, as far as intimidation tactics, this wasn’t the worst he’d experienced.

“You will come any time I call for you!” Samael rasped out, spittle flying from his mouth, his eyes wild as he tightened his hand around Arioch’s throat. “I hired you to do a god damn job that you haven’t done it! How hard is it to bring me some puny weak human woman” he growled out not calming down at all.

Arioch pried Samael’s hands from his throat as he glared at him. “The seer was there and so was Semyaza… he didn’t go back to his sanctum like you thought he would.” He wasn’t going to mention how airtight the wards were. “When I get her alone, I’ll bring her to you.” He glared at him, narrowing his eyes.

Samael roared in anger his hand rearing back as he punched the stone next to Arioch’s head, the wall cracking as the dust flew up around them. “I DON’T CARE HOW YOU DO IT! FUCKING BRING ME THE BITCH!”

Arioch pushed away from the wall and started for the door. “I’ll bring her after I’m finished with her.” He turned and looked at Samael. “You have bigger problems on your hands now. The Dominion aren’t happy with your little coup.” He smirked and slipped away before Samael could lose his temper again. He heard the roar of rage echoing on the stone walls as he made his way out so he could get back to his job.

They’d slip up sooner or later and he’d be there to make sure that he took advantage.

* * *

Samael slumped back in his chair as his temper flickered out. He was furious at how slow this was all moving. Gabriel hadn’t come back from his latest scouting and he was getting anxious. He had to know what was going on. His fingers tapped over the arm of the chair as he got lost in his thoughts.

Arioch’s little snarky comment about the Dominion sent a wash of worry through him. He didn’t need them sticking their noses in his business. They’d kept away for millennia after millennia before. He didn’t see how this could be anything different.

He scoffed. The Dominion. Glorified deities exalted on high by the mortals. He shook his head. If only the fools knew the truth of what they were. Omnipotent beings that felt they were too good to deal with the leftovers from the universe.

His jaw clenched as he ground his teeth together. The rage flaring in his eyes as he imagined how good it would feel to watch each of them flicker out of existence. The power that he would have after he ripped their power from them, banishing them to the rift plane. 

He wanted it.

He wanted it all.

He would get them Empyrean back under his control. It was the only way that things could continue as they were. The abominations would be taken care of once again. To have such filth wandering around as if they belonged.

It filled him with a rage unlike no other.

He was given that task at the beginning.

He would continue that task one way or another.

Or he would burn the world to make sure that none could turn against him again.

* * *

Betelgeuse felt the shift in the wards when his father returned. It had been nearly four days since he’d left. No one was sure how time went in the Black City.

To be truthful, he was surprised that he had made it out. He was the first that he knew of. He looked at Lydia who was curled up in her favorite chair by the fireplace her book in hand and a cup of tea floating next to her. He grinned as the pride of what she was doing slipped through him. She’d been working on that for days now and this morning something had clicked and now she was having no issues with controlling something as small as the cup of tea. 

He stood up and walked over to her kissing the top of her head. “Pops is back, gonna see what’s going on. Come down when you are ready.” He said softly knowing that she would want to change out of her pajamas to tackle whatever was to come head on.

He slipped down the stairs giving him self a chance to figure out what he was going to say. The last four days had been… difficult for himself. He’d realized how much he had come to care for his father and on the chance that he would be gone before he could even accept that in his own head. Had pulled him through the ringer.

With a sigh he walked down the stairs and found himself in the kitchen. He could see his father standing and talking to someone softly, a cup of steaming tea in both of their hands. He felt his stomach clench. Had he really done it?

“He ol’ man… Lyds will be down in a few.” He said trying to be causal as he took in the sight of the other man.

This was Purah? He was not what he was expecting. He looked… fragile. But at the same time intimidating. It was a curious combination, and in a way that set him on edge it reminded him of Lydia.

Semyaza looked up and smiled at Betelgeuse waving his hand over to have him sit. “I was just trying to get Purah filled in on everything that has happened.”

Betelgeuse raised his eyebrows. “That would probably be more that just a few minutes of conversation I’d imagine.” He said as he slowly sat down on the stool. “You were gone for four days; weren’t sure you were going to be able to get back out of there.” He tipped his head slightly watching him carefully.

Semyaza could see the emotion just simmering slightly behind the mask that Betelgeuse was putting up. It was something that he knew that they would have to sit down and have a wee chat about. It had been a long time coming. He was thrown off though, that he had been gone for four days. It had felt like mere minutes. It was no wonder that once you went into the Black City you never left… time was of no meaning there.

Purah had kept quiet as the Semyaza’s son came into the room. The second that he entered the room he was shocked. His son was a Nephilim. He hadn’t gotten to that part in his explanation of what was going on. He’d never seen a Nephilim that had reached their majority. “How…” he rasped out still trying to recover from his shock.

Betelgeuse looked at his father and raised his eyebrows at him not sure what this guys issue was.

Semyaza looked back and forth between the two. “How what Purah?”

Purah stood up slowly and walked toward Betelgeuse his hand reaching out slowly to brush his fingertips over his forehead. “That power you have, how were you allowed to exist.” He whispered to him.

Betelgeuse smirked. “Because ol ‘Sam I am’… decided that it wasn’t good enough to just off me to punish dear ol’ dad, he made it so that I was under the impression I was a demon.” He shrugged and looked over Purah’s shoulder at his dad. “But he knows not I’m more powerful than him, have more than he ever could dream, and that’s why he’s after me and Lyds now.”

He felt Lydia before he heard her footsteps coming down the stairs.

He could feel her trepidation and nerves slipping through their bond. He stood up and walked to the doorway of the kitchen and reached his hand out for hers just as she stepped through.

Behind him, he heard Purah’s sharp gasp in shock. He turned to see the fallen Angel stumbling back and collapsing in the chair.

Lydia’s eyes widened as she took in the sight in front of her. Her hand tightened in Betelgeuse’s before she moved toward the man that hadn’t taken his eyes off her. She could feel something deep in her resonating as she reached her hand out for him. There was something there that was deeper than anything that she had ever experienced outside of her bond with Betelgeuse.

It was a connection with someone that was her blood.

Purah stood up his legs shaky as he made his way to the young woman standing in front of him. He reached out carefully, his hand tracing over the shape of her jaw. “By the gods above, you look just like my Astarte.” He whispered; his voice tight with the ache of pain he had tried to keep buried for too long.

“And your power… just like hers.” He whispered as he let his hand drop down so that his fingertips grazed over hers erupting in an arch of power flashing between them. He let out a full laugh as it danced around them.

He closed his eyes as it **_sang._**

****

Betelgeuse could feel the power building up around them and the second that Purah’s hand dropped the room erupted in web of pure power. He could feel it coursing through him… he felt _alive,_ his hand tightened in Lydia’s as she gasped.

“Its beautiful.” She whispered as the power slowly started to fade and sink back into them. She looked at the man that was her great grandfather many times over and let go of Betelgeuse’s hand to slowly pull him in for a hug. She whispered into his ear.

“I’ll bring her back; I’ll bring them all back.” She swore as she felt Purah tighten his arms around her in return, the tears soaking through her shirt on her shoulder.

She would make it right, and then they would all pay for doing this to her family. She could feel the power now. She knew now why Samael wanted her dead.

She would take him on and win this time. Her energy flickered through her fingertips dancing just below the skin as it waited to be released.

“Teach me as you taught her. And I will bring her home.” She whispered into her grandfathers’ ear.

He answered her plea by squeezing her tighter. “You will. I know you will.” He whispered and pulled back slowly. The fire that was dancing in her eyes had him smiling. He knew that look well.

“It’s not anything to be taught my child.” He said as he took her hands and held them up against his. He watched as the energy gathered at their fingertips as she subconsciously pulled at his energy.

“You tell it what you want.” He whispered as he brought his hands up in a circle, the whole room going dark before the image of the night sky appeared, millions of stars sparkling as if they were right there ready for them to reach out and touch.

“It will listen” he said softly and stepped back slightly reaching out for Betelgeuse. He gently guided his granddaughters bonded to her and watched as their energies joined. Dancing between them as it built. The stars growing brighter around them.

“It is alive in you… guide it to your will… respect it and you will become more than you ever dreamed.” He whispered and stepped back watching as the room exploded in light.

Lydia felt like she was out of her body as she listened to what she was being told to do, the second that she felt her bond with Betelgeuse flare up she latched onto it. Closing her eyes, she felt her feet slowly leaving the floor her arms tightened around Betelgeuse slightly as her breath caught in her throat. She reached for her energy. Willing it gently to keep them safe. To expand the wards to keep all ill will out. She felt it leave her in a rush the illusion of the stars vanishing in a flash of blinding light. She felt herself being lowered gently down to the floor.

A hand brushed over her cheek and she blinked her eyes open seeing Betelgeuse’s worry sharp on his face. “Shhh… I’m fine love.” She whispered reassuring him.

Betelgeuse felt the remnants of the energy still flowing around them. “What did you do…” he asked softly his hand still brushing over her forehead, more as a soothing thing for him it seemed.

Lydia laughed softly and carefully sat up so that she could look over his shoulder seeing Semyaza and Purah sitting and watching them intently. “Put a little more umph into the wards.” She grinned.

She heard Semyaza laugh as she let Betelgeuse scoop her up into his arms. “A little bit she says.” She heard him say.

“More like made this place completely unable to be breached by any with ill will toward anyone seeking safe harbor in this sanctum… well done my dear, well done.”

Lydia let her head rest on Betelgeuse’s shoulder and the last thing she heard before she drifted off in an exhausted sleep was Betelgeuse saying with a softness that she only ever heard when he was taking her to bed. “I’m gonna take this one to bed, your family reunion can continue later.”


End file.
